Projection of the cochlea to cochlear nuclei in merriam's kangaroo rat

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Abstract
Projection of the cochlea onto the cochlear nuclei was studied by lesioning the spiral ganglion and tracing degenerating fibers and terminals by the Nauta‐Gygax and Fink‐Heimer methods. Basal turn lesions result in degeneration in the medial portion of anterior ventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN) including globular cell area, small spherical cell area, and a small portion of the large spherical cell area; in dorsomedial portion of posterior ventral cochlear nucleus (PVCN) including globular cell area and octopus cell area; and in the medial extreme of the central region of dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN). Apical turn lesions result in degeneration in the lateral portion of AVCN including globular cell area, small spherical cell area, and a substantial amount of the large spherical cell area; in the ventrolateral portion of PVCN including globular cell area and multipolar cell area; and in the lateral extreme of the central region of DCN. Lesions in intermediate turns of the cochlea result in degeneration in correspondingly intermediate regions of the cochlear nuclear complex. The basal portion of the cochlea (high frequency) projects most strongly to the small spherical cell area and the octopus cell area. The apical turns (low frequency) project most strongly to the large spherical cell area and the multipolar cell area.