Asymmetry in Low Levels of the Auditory System: Do we hear differently with the left and right ear?

 

Yvonne Sininger PhD

Professor in Residence

Division of Head & Neck Surgery

David Geffen School of Medicine

UCLA

 

Lateralized processing of stimuli at the level of the auditory cortex is well established. Imaging and evoked potential studies have shown that rapidly changing stimuli, including speech, are preferentially processed in the auditory areas of the left hemisphere while tonal stimuli are primarily on the right side.  Evidence of lateralized or asymmetric processing at lower levels of the auditory system is now emerging.  Recent studies have shown that infants show lateralized cochlear processing of tonal and rapidly changing stimuli in the ear opposite the hemisphere where these stimuli are known to be processed. Other low level functions, for example the auditory brainstem response also show asymmetry based on ear.  The clinical and biological significance of these phenomenon will be discussed.

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