title: Neural interactions in unilateral colliculus and between bilateral colliculi modulate auditory signal processing.
abstract: In the auditory pathway, the inferior colliculus (IC) is a major center for temporal and spectral integration of auditory information. There are widespread neural interactions in unilateral (one) IC and between bilateral (two) ICs that could modulate auditory signal processing such as the amplitude and frequency selectivity of IC neurons. These neural interactions are either inhibitory or excitatory, and are mostly mediated by γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate, respectively. However, the majority of interactions are inhibitory while excitatory interactions are in the minority. Such unbalanced properties between excitatory and inhibitory projections have an important role in the formation of unilateral auditory dominance and sound location, and the neural interaction in one IC and between two ICs provide an adjustable and plastic modulation pattern for auditory signal processing.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences and Hubei Key Lab of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University Wuhan, China ; School of Sport, Hubei University Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Hui-Xian
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Qi-Cai
authors.initials: QC
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D001306:Auditory Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007245:Inferior Colliculi / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: auditory signal processing; bilateral collicular interaction; excitatory interaction; inferior collicular neurons; inhibitory interaction