Auditory cortex (AC)

The auditory cortex is a portion of the temporal lobe in the brain that is the final destination for afferent auditory signals and is responsible for interpreting and processing sound information. It consists of multiple anatomically and functionally distinct subfields, notably the primary auditory cortex (A1), secondary (A2), and tertiary areas collectively referred to as the core, belt, and parabelt regions. It receives input from lower auditory centers (e.g., medial geniculate nucleus of the thalamus) and is tonotopically organized. Biological functions include recognition and discrimination of sound frequency, pitch, and loudness, as well as higher-order processing involved in language and music. Unlike receptors or proteins, the auditory cortex is a neuroanatomical structure and is not classified as a molecular drug target, though its activity can be studied with neuroimaging and electrophysiology[1][3][4][5].

Other names

Primary auditory cortex (A1)Secondary auditory cortex (A2)Auditory association cortexCore, belt, and parabelt regions

None (not applicable; in studies, electrical stimulation or transcranial magnetic stimulation has been explored, but not through a molecular mechanism)