A chronic microelectrode investigation of the tonotopic organization of human auditory cortex.
We investigated the functional organization of human auditory cortex using a new chronic microelectrode technique. Tonotopic mapping data was obtained at the single unit level for the first time in humans. All sound-driven units were noted to have frequency-dependent response patterns. The majority of units (73%) demonstrated sharply tuned excitatory best-frequency responses. Twenty seven percent of units showed wide receptive fields, representing excitatory responses to almost the entire range of frequencies presented. A tonotopic pattern was observed with best frequencies systematically increasing as more medial-caudal recording sites were sampled.
Howard
M A
MA
Division of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
Volkov
I O
IO
Abbas
P J
PJ
Damasio
H
H
Ollendieck
M C
MC
Granner
M A
MA
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006801:Humans; D008839:Microelectrodes