Modulation of cochlear nerve spike rate by cardiac activity in the gerbil.
Among primary auditory axons with characteristic frequencies (CFs) below 2500 Hz, a substantial subpopulation was found in which spike activity was driven by cardiac events. The presence of cardiac-driven activity was inferred from cycle histograms triggered on the peak of the electrocardiogram (ECG). This driven activity was either like a simple onset response (often followed by a reduction of spike activity to below background level), or as a longer lasting series of peaks and troughs. In two axons with high CFs (7 kHz and 12.5 kHz), cardiac-driven suppression was observed. Recordings made by a probe microphone revealed the presence of heart-related sound in the external ear canal. The onset of that sound coincided with the onset of cardiac-driven spike activity (and suppression).
Lewis
E R
ER
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley.
Henry
K R
KR
D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D003056:Cochlear Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005849:Gerbillinae; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*