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The purpose of this volume is twofold. First, it offers an in-depth analysis of
current approaches and issues in the study of the auditory system. By concentrating
on one structure, the inferior colliculus, a focused and coherent treatment
of many aspects of auditory neural processing is possible. The position of the
inferior colliculus is unique, as its study offers insights into the influence of the
peripheral auditory system and at the same time reveals the initial stages of
central processing principles. By providing, in the first chapter, an overview of
auditory system function and structure, a framework is given that guides the
interpretation of operational mechanisms and rules. Second, the book provides
a state-of-the-art reference tool for researchers working on the inferior colliculus.
The last such treatment appeared in the mid-1980s (Aitkin 1986) and was 246
pages long with 507 citations; since then, more than 1900 articles on the inferior
colliculus have been published, and there has been no inclusive summary of
facts and ideas about this critical junction in the auditory pathway. In this period,
there has been substantial progress on the many facets of inferior colliculus
function that constitute the subject matter for this volume. The mere accretion
of publications alone would not in itself justify a new volume devoted to the
auditory midbrain. The rationale, then, is to summarize recent advances in this
discipline from the perspective of some of the many researchers who have engendered
this progress.
Connecting the auditory brain stem to sensory, motor, and limbic systems, the inferior colliculus is a critical midbrain station for auditory processing. Winer and Schreiner's The Inferior Colliculus, a critical, comprehensive reference, presents the current knowledge of the inferior colliculus from a variety of perspectives, including anatomical, physiological, developmental, neurochemical, biophysical, neuroethological and clinical vantage points. Written by leading researchers in the field, the book is an ideal introduction to the inferior colliculus and central auditory processing for clinicians, otolaryngologists, graduate and postgraduate research workers in the auditory and other sensory-motor systems. |
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