Neuronal morphology in the human cochlear nucleus.

Neuronal morphology in the human cochlear nucleus was studied with a Golgi method to better understand the organization of the nucleus. In ventral portions of the nucleus, three principal cell types and two small cell types previously seen in animals were found. In the dorsal portions of the nucleus, predominant cell types found in animals appear to be absent, indicating that cellular organization here is quite different from that in animals. On the other hand, cell morphology in the ventral nucleus suggests that signal processing here is fundamentally similar to that in animals. A review of the organization of these cells in animals is presented to provide a context of present results. The findings have great relevance in light of efforts to implant electrical prostheses in the nucleus.