ABSTRACT
The auditory system comprises the ears and their connections to and within the central nervous system. From the standpoint of physical layout, the auditory system may be divided into the outer, middle, and inner ears; the auditory nerve; and the central auditory pathways. This section provides a very brief and simplified overview of the auditory system, in the hope that a brief glance at the forest will help the student avoid being blinded by the trees. Before proceeding, those not familiar with anatomical terminology should review the pictures in Fig. 2.1 and the definitions in Table 2.1, which summarize some of the terms used to describe the orientation of anatomical structures and the relationships among them.
