Neural correlates of temporal integration in the cochlear nucleus of the chinchilla.
Single unit thresholds were measured as a function of stimulus duration for Primary-like and Chopper units in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN) of the chinchilla to examine the neural correlates of temporal integration. Thresholds were measured with a two-alternative, forced-choice (2AFC) adaptive tracking procedure. The time constants and the slopes of the threshold-duration functions were estimated by fitting the threshold data with an exponential function and a power law function. The results showed that Primary-like units exhibited greater threshold improvement and a longer time constant than Chopper units. Units with low characteristic frequencies (CF) showed a larger decrease in threshold with increasing duration and a longer time constant than mid-CF or high-CF units. Units with low spontaneous rates (SR) showed a smaller threshold decrease with increasing duration and a shorter time constant than mid-SR or high-SR units. The single unit time constants and the rate of threshold improvement are similar to those measured psychophysically in the chinchilla.
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Hearing Research Laboratory, State University of New York, University at Buffalo 14214.
Salvi
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RJ
Saunders
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Powers
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D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D001306:Auditory Pathways; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D002682:Chinchilla; D017626:Cochlear Nucleus / Q000502:physiology*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*