Kulesza Randy J
Auditory Research Center, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA 16509, USA.
Hear Res. 2008 Jul;241(1-2):52-63. doi: 10.1016/j.heares.2008.04.010. Epub 2008 May 10.
The superior olivary complex (SOC) is a cluster of nuclei situated in the caudal brainstem tegmentum that forms an essential component of the auditory pathway. The SOC includes two principal nuclei, the medial and lateral superior olives (MSO and LSO respectively), that have clear roles in sound source localization. Surrounding the principal nuclei are a number of periolivary nuclei (PON) that vary significantly between mammalian species but function in multiple aspects of hearing. Although the PON have been studied in numerous laboratory animals, these nuclei have not been delineated in human. The major goal of this study is to, based on myeloarchitecture, location, neuronal morphology and cytoarchitecture, define the PON within the human SOC and provide estimates of neuronal number within these nuclei. Results from the study of twelve human brainstems provide evidence for six morphologically distinct cell groups: three within the trapezoid body and three along the posterior aspect of the SOC. Based on the analysis of human tissue stained for myelin, Nissl substance, or impregnated with silver, the human PON appear largely homologous to the PON described in other low-frequency hearing animals.
上橄榄复合体（SOC）是位于脑干尾侧被盖区的一组核团，是听觉通路的重要组成部分。SOC包括两个主要核团，即内侧上橄榄核和外侧上橄榄核（分别为MSO和LSO），它们在声源定位中具有明确作用。围绕主要核团的是一些橄榄周核（PON），这些核团在哺乳动物物种之间有显著差异，但在听力的多个方面发挥作用。尽管已经在许多实验动物中对PON进行了研究，但这些核团在人类中尚未被明确界定。本研究的主要目标是基于髓鞘结构、位置、神经元形态和细胞结构，确定人类SOC内的PON，并估计这些核团内的神经元数量。对12个人类脑干的研究结果为六个形态上不同的细胞群提供了证据：三个在梯形体内，三个在SOC的后部。基于对用髓鞘、尼氏体染色或用银浸染的人体组织的分析，人类PON在很大程度上与其他低频听力动物中描述的PON同源。
