Diversity of characteristic frequency rate-intensity functions in guinea pig auditory nerve fibres

Winter, Ian M.; Robertson, Donald; Yates, Graeme K.

doi:10.1016/0378-5955(90)90120-e

Cited by 272 publications

(192 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…However, the characteristics of adaptation, such as the time constants, do not seem to vary systematically with SPL (Chimento and Schreiner, 1991). Similarly, adaptation does not greatly affect the shape of the ratelevel function (Smith and Brachman, 1980;Yates et al, 1990;, and spike rate measures taken from different time spans after tone onset, or obtained with different tone durations, simply result in rate-level functions that are scaled versions of one another (Sachs and Abbas, 1974;Smith, 1977;Winter et al, 1990). Thus, it seems justified to neglect adaptation at this stage of modeling.…”

Section: Response Measurementioning

confidence: 99%

An Improved Model for the Rate–Level Functions of Auditory-Nerve Fibers

Heil

Neubauer

Irvine³

2011

J. Neurosci.

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Acoustic information is conveyed to the brain by the spike patterns in auditory-nerve fibers (ANFs). In mammals, each ANF is excited via a single ribbon synapse in a single inner hair cell (IHC), and the spike patterns therefore also provide valuable information about those intriguing synapses. Here we reexamine and model a key property of ANFs, the dependence of their spike rates on the sound pressure level of acoustic stimuli (rate-level functions). We build upon the seminal model of Sachs and Abbas (1974), which provides good fits to experimental data but has limited utility for defining physiological mechanisms. We present an improved, physiologically plausible model according to which the spike rate follows a Hill equation and spontaneous activity and its experimentally observed tight correlation with ANF sensitivity are emergent properties. We apply it to 156 cat ANF rate-level functions using frequencies where the mechanics are linear and find that a single Hill coefficient of 3 can account for the population of functions. We also demonstrate a tight correspondence between ANF rate-level functions and the Ca 2ϩ dependence of exocytosis from IHCs, and derive estimates of the effective intracellular Ca 2ϩ concentrations at the individual active zones of IHCs. We argue that the Hill coefficient might reflect the intrinsic, biochemical Ca 2ϩ cooperativity of the Ca 2ϩ sensor involved in exocytosis from the IHC. The model also links ANF properties with properties of psychophysical absolute thresholds.

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Section: Response Measurementioning

confidence: 99%

An Improved Model for the Rate–Level Functions of Auditory-Nerve Fibers

Heil

Neubauer

Irvine³

2011

J. Neurosci.

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“…The dynamic range of the auditory periphery is enhanced by differences in threshold sensitivity among cochlear nerve fibers (Liberman 1978;Winter et al 1990), and fibers with the lowest thresholds have the highest spontaneous rates (SRs). This correlation has been documented in cat (Liberman 1978), guinea pig (Winter et al 1990; Tsuji and Liberman 1997), gerbil (Schmiedt 1989), rabbit (Borg et al 1988), and mouse (Taberner and Liberman 2005), suggesting that an SR-based subdivision is a fundamental feature of the cochlear nerve.…”

Section: Ribbon and Glur-patch Size As Markers Of Sr Groupmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This population of sensory neurons has been divided into functional subgroups based on spontaneous rate (SR): fibers with the lowest SR have the highest thresholds and vice versa (Liberman 1978). This functional subdivision is presumably key to the impressive dynamic range of the auditory periphery (Sachs and Abbas 1974;Winter et al 1990).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Olivocochlear Innervation Maintains the Normal Modiolar-Pillar and Habenular-Cuticular Gradients in Cochlear Synaptic Morphology

Yin

Liberman

Maison

et al. 2014

JARO

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Morphological studies of inner hair cell (IHC) synapses with cochlear nerve terminals have suggested that high-and low-threshold fibers differ in the sizes of their pre-and postsynaptic elements as well as the position of their synapses around the hair cell circumference. Here, using high-power confocal microscopy, we measured sizes and spatial positions of presynaptic ribbons, postsynaptic glutamate receptor (GluR) patches, and olivocochlear efferent terminals at eight locations along the cochlear spiral in normal and surgically de-efferented mice. Results confirm a prior report suggesting a modiolar 9 pillar gradient in ribbon size and a complementary pillar 9 modiolar gradient in GluR-patch size. We document a novel habenular G cuticular gradient in GluR patch size and a complementary cuticular G habenular gradient in olivocochlear innervation density. All spatial gradients in synaptic elements collapse after cochlear deefferentation, suggesting a major role of olivocochlear efferents in maintaining functional heterogeneity among cochlear nerve fibers. Our spatial analysis also suggests that adjacent IHCs may contain a different synaptic mix, depending on whether their tilt in the radial plane places their synaptic pole closer to the pillar cells or to the modiolus.

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“…We base our model of pitch discrimination on the generic nervous response of hair cells: (i) spikes are elicited whenever the hair bundle deflection traverses a threshold (for frequencies below 5 kHz, at least); and (ii) hair cells with a range of different thresholds are present at each characteristic frequency (23). How might the nervous system extract information about frequency and intensity from the resulting spike trains?…”

Section: Pitch Extractionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical basis of two-tone interference in hearing

Jülicher

Andor

Duke

2001

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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The cochlea uses active amplification to capture faint sounds. It has been proposed that the amplifier comprises a set of self-tuned critical oscillators: each hair cell contains a force-generating dynamical system that is maintained at the threshold of an oscillatory instability, or Hopf bifurcation. While the active response to a pure tone provides frequency selectivity, exquisite sensitivity, and wide dynamic range, its intrinsic nonlinearity causes tones of different frequency to interfere with one another in the cochlea. Here we determine the response to two tones, which provides a framework for understanding how the ear processes the more complex sounds of speech and music. Our calculations of two-tone suppression and the spectrum of distortion products generated by a critical oscillator accord with experimental observations of basilar membrane motion and the nervous response. We discuss how the response of a set of self-tuned oscillators, covering a range of characteristic frequencies, represents the structure of a complex sound. The frequency components of the stimulus can be inferred from the timing of neural spikes elicited by the vibrating hair cells. Passive prefiltering by the basilar membrane improves pitch discrimination by reducing interference between tones. Our analysis provides a general framework for examining the relation between the physical nature of the peripheral detection apparatus and psychophysical phenomena such as the sensation of dissonance and auditory illusions.

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Diversity of characteristic frequency rate-intensity functions in guinea pig auditory nerve fibres

Cited by 272 publications

References 31 publications

An Improved Model for the Rate–Level Functions of Auditory-Nerve Fibers

An Improved Model for the Rate–Level Functions of Auditory-Nerve Fibers

Olivocochlear Innervation Maintains the Normal Modiolar-Pillar and Habenular-Cuticular Gradients in Cochlear Synaptic Morphology

Physical basis of two-tone interference in hearing

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