Functional localization of the auditory thalamus in individual human subjects

Here we describe an easily implemented protocol based on sparse MR acquisition and a scrambled ‘music’ auditory stimulus that allows for reliable measurement of functional activity within the medial geniculate body (MGB, the primary auditory thalamic nucleus) in individual subjects. We find that our method is equally accurate and reliable as previously developed structural methods, and offers significantly more accuracy in identifying the MGB than group based methods. We also find that lateralization and binaural summation within the MGB resemble those found in the auditory cortex. •We describe fMRI protocol for reliably localizing human MGB in individual subjects.•The method employs sparse MR acquisition and a scrambled ‘music’ auditory stimulus.•Our method is equally accurate and reliable as structural methods.•Our method offers more accuracy in identifying MGB than group based methods.•Lateralization within the MGB resembles that found in the primary auditory cortex.