Superior olivary nucleus
Nucleus olivaris superior
- Synonym: Superior olivary complex
- Related terms: Superior olivary nucleus; Superior olivary complex
Definition
The superior olivary nucleus comprises a nuclear complex containing several nuclei which help in processing sound differences between the two ears. They form part of the auditory pathway.
Lateral Superior Olivary nucleus - This nucleus helps detect differences in sound levels (loudness) between the two ears, called interaural level differences. This is key for figuring out where a sound is coming from.
Medial Superior Olivary nucleus - This nucleus focuses on detecting tiny timing differences between sounds reaching each ear, known as interaural time differences. This also helps with sound localization.
Periolivary Nuclei - These nuclei help adjust and control activity in the cochlea, which is part of the inner ear.
Together, the nuclei of trapezoid body and superior olivary nuclear complex, work to process the direction and quality of sounds, helping us figure out where they come from.
References
Kopp-Scheinpflug, C., Tolnai, S., Malmierca, M.S. and Rübsamen, R. (2008) ‘The medial nucleus of the trapezoid body: Comparative physiology’, Neuroscience, 154(1), pp. 160–170. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2008.01.088 (Accessed: 27 December 2024).
Wikipedia (n.d.) Superior olivary complex. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superior_olivary_complex (Accessed: 28 December 2024).
