Auditory Afferents: Sound Encoding in the Cochlea

The primary afferent neurons are responsible for the fast and reliable encoding of sound over a wide range of frequencies and intensities. Populations of afferent neurons with heterogenous response properties are required to perform this remarkable incredible feat. This chapter reviews the anatomical, physiological, and genetic mechanisms that define subpopulations of auditory spiral ganglion neurons and afferents that contribute to the encoding of sound. Importantly, these mechanisms also contribute to the susceptibility of the auditory system to acoustic overexposure and aging.