Premium
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Activation in Subcortical Auditory Pathway
Author(s) -
Yetkin F. Zerrin,
Roland Peter S.,
Mendelsohn Dianne B.,
Purdy Phillip D.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1097/00005537-200401000-00017
Subject(s) - functional magnetic resonance imaging , auditory cortex , medial geniculate body , inferior colliculus , planum temporale , superior olivary complex , neuroscience , psychology , audiology , lateral lemniscus , stimulus (psychology) , cochlear nucleus , magnetic resonance imaging , medicine , brainstem , nucleus , radiology , psychotherapist
Objectives Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been used to investigate activation of the auditory cortex; however, assessment of activation in the subcortical auditory pathway has been challenging. The aim of this study was to examine neural correlates of cortical and subcortical auditory activation evoked by pure‐tone stimulus using silent fMRI. Study Design Prospective analysis Methods Seventeen normal‐hearing volunteers (7 male, 10 female; age range, 14–37 yrs) underwent silent fMRI. An audiometer was used to deliver pure tones of 1000 Hz to the left ear. Pure tones were presented at hearing thresholds determined in the scanner. Brain regions showing increased activation during pure‐tone stimulus presentation were mapped and auditory activations exceeding P < .001 were included in the analysis. Results Pure‐tone stimuli evoked bilateral activation in cortical regions of the transverse and superior temporal gyri and the planum temporale. Activation in subcortical structures included the medial geniculate body, inferior colliculus, lateral lemniscus, superior olivary complex, and cochlear nucleus. Conclusions Silent functional magnetic resonance imaging findings documented the feasibility of detecting activation elicited by pure tone along the cortical and subcortical auditory pathway. The use of this technique in the assessment of disorders with auditory dysfunction merits further investigation.