title: Threshold sensitivity and frequency selectivity measured with round window whole nerve action potentials in the awake, restrained chinchilla.
abstract: Chronic electrodes, placed on the round windows of four adult chinchillas, were used to measure whole-nerve action potential (AP) thresholds and tuning curves. The AP quiet thresholds were within 17 dB of thresholds measured by behavioral methods and within 3 dB of those measured by other evoked response procedures. The AP tuning curves, obtained by a simultaneous masking procedure, were also similar to previously measured tuning curves in the chinchilla. These results indicate that long-term indwelling electrodes can be successfully placed on the chinchilla round window and used to measure threshold sensitivity and frequency selectivity. Recordings from these electrodes could be used in a variety of situations and may be particularly useful in studying the effects of noise on the cochlea.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D002682:Chinchilla; D003051:Cochlea / Q000294:innervation*; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory; D010470:Perceptual Masking / Q000502:physiology; D010898:Pitch Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D012405:Round Window, Ear / Q000294:innervation*; D000159:Vestibulocochlear Nerve / Q000502:physiology*