The auditory pathway is the route that sound information takes from the ears to the brain. When sound waves enter the ear, they cause vibrations in the eardrum, which are then transmitted through tiny bones in the middle ear. These vibrations are converted into electrical signals by hair cells in the inner ear, specifically in the cochlea. Once the electrical signals are generated, they travel along the auditory nerve to the brainstem, where initial processing occurs. From there, the signals are relayed to the thalamus and then to the auditory cortex in the brain, where sound is interpreted and understood.