Question

What is the correct pathway for the travel of auditory impulses from the cochlea to the cerebral cortex?

A. Cochlea → Vestibulocochlear nerve → Thalamus → Cerebral cortex
B. Cochlea → Auditory nerve → Brainstem → Cerebral cortex
C. Cochlea → Olfactory nerve → Hypothalamus → Cerebral cortex
D. Cochlea → Optic nerve → Midbrain → Cerebral cortex

Answer 1

The correct pathway for auditory impulses from the cochlea to the cerebral cortex is Cochlea → Vestibulocochlear nerve → Thalamus → Cerebral cortex, making option A the right answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct pathway for the travel of auditory impulses from the cochlea to the cerebral cortex is as follows:

1. Cochlea
2. Vestibulocochlear nerve
3. Brainstem - this includes the cochlear nuclei located in the superior medulla and the inferior colliculus in the midbrain
4. Thalamus - specifically, the medial geniculate nucleus
5. Cerebral cortex - specifically, the auditory cortex in the temporal lobe

Thus, the correct answer to the question is A. Cochlea → Vestibulocochlear nerve → Thalamus → Cerebral cortex.

Auditory processing begins as sound waves stimulate the hair cells in the cochlea. These hair cells translate mechanical movement into neural impulses which then travel along the auditory nerve (part of the vestibulocochlear nerve) to the brainstem, where sound location is deciphered. The pathway continues to the inferior colliculus in the midbrain, and then to the medial geniculate nucleus in the thalamus. Finally, these impulses are sent to the auditory cortex for advanced processing of sound.