Our primary goal is to identify how our brain processes sound inputs to detect complex patterns, such as our vocalizations. We aim to gain a holistic understanding of auditory cortical circuits through investigations at multiple scales: namely, synaptic integration in individual neurons, cellular interaction in local circuits, macroscopic interaction across brain areas, and finally behavioral outputs. Findings in the simple mouse cortex should provide a first step towards the ultimate understanding of the complex human brain circuits that enable verbal communication, and how they fail in psychiatric disorders.