Anatomy and physiology of directional hearing

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to present the most important neuroanatomical and neurophysiological studies concerning the phenomenon of sound localisation in space by people. The author analysed the available literature concerning this topic. The article presents different theories explaining the phenomenon of sound localisation, such as interaural differences in time, interaural differences in sound intensity, interaural and monaural differences in phase and the anatomical and physiological basis of these processes. It also describes methods of measurement of disturbances in sound localisation which are used around the world and in Poland, also by the author of this work. The author lists a number of reports on the neurological causes of disturbances in sound localisation, especially the ones connected with vascular damage of the brain. The reports indicate that it is the temporal and parietal lobes that play the role of cortical centres of sound localisation. Also, it should be pointed out that even though having two ears indeed makes it possible for humans to localise sources of sounds, the process itself takes place in the brain.