scholarly journals Dynamics of Neural Responses in Ferret Primary Auditory Cortex: I. Spectro-Temporal Response Field Characterization by Dynamic Ripple Spectra

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Didier A. Depireux ◽  
Jonathan Z. Simon ◽  
David J. Klein ◽  
Shihab A. Shamma
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Primary Auditory Cortex ◽  
Neural Responses ◽  
Temporal Response ◽  
Response Field

Spectro-Temporal Response Field Characterization With Dynamic Ripples in Ferret Primary Auditory Cortex

2001 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 1220-1234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Didier A. Depireux ◽  
Jonathan Z. Simon ◽  
David J. Klein ◽  
Shihab A. Shamma
Keyword(s):  
Transfer Function ◽  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Cross Sections ◽  
Primary Auditory Cortex ◽  
Neural Representation ◽  
Temporal Response ◽  
Spectral Functions ◽  
Linear Dynamics ◽  
Complex Response ◽  
Response Field

To understand the neural representation of broadband, dynamic sounds in primary auditory cortex (AI), we characterize responses using the spectro-temporal response field (STRF). The STRF describes, predicts, and fully characterizes the linear dynamics of neurons in response to sounds with rich spectro-temporal envelopes. It is computed from the responses to elementary “ripples,” a family of sounds with drifting sinusoidal spectral envelopes. The collection of responses to all elementary ripples is the spectro-temporal transfer function. The complex spectro-temporal envelope of any broadband, dynamic sound can expressed as the linear sum of individual ripples. Previous experiments using ripples with downward drifting spectra suggested that the transfer function is separable, i.e., it is reducible into a product of purely temporal and purely spectral functions. Here we measure the responses to upward and downward drifting ripples, assuming reparability within each direction, to determine if the total bidirectional transfer function is fully separable. In general, the combined transfer function for two directions is not symmetric, and hence units in AI are not, in general, fully separable. Consequently, many AI units have complex response properties such as sensitivity to direction of motion, though most inseparable units are not strongly directionally selective. We show that for most neurons, the lack of full separability stems from differences between the upward and downward spectral cross-sections but not from the temporal cross-sections; this places strong constraints on the neural inputs of these AI units.

Spatial Representation of Neural Responses to Natural and Altered Conspecific Vocalizations in Cat Auditory Cortex

2007 ◽  
Vol 97 (1) ◽  
pp. 144-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boris Gourévitch ◽  
Jos J. Eggermont
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Spatial Representation ◽  
Primary Auditory Cortex ◽  
Neural Representation ◽  
Neural Synchrony ◽  
Neural Responses ◽  
Temporal Response ◽  
Auditory Field ◽  
Rate Type

This study shows the neural representation of cat vocalizations, natural and altered with respect to carrier and envelope, as well as time-reversed, in four different areas of the auditory cortex. Multiunit activity recorded in primary auditory cortex (AI) of anesthetized cats mainly occurred at onsets (<200-ms latency) and at subsequent major peaks of the vocalization envelope and was significantly inhibited during the stationary course of the stimuli. The first 200 ms of processing appears crucial for discrimination of a vocalization in AI. The dorsal and ventral parts of AI appear to have different roles in coding vocalizations. The dorsal part potentially discriminated carrier-altered meows, whereas the ventral part showed differences primarily in its response to natural and time-reversed meows. In the posterior auditory field, the different temporal response types of neurons, as determined by their poststimulus time histograms, showed discrimination for carrier alterations in the meow. Sustained firing neurons in the posterior ectosylvian gyrus (EP) could discriminate, among others, by neural synchrony, temporal envelope alterations of the meow, and time reversion thereof. These findings suggest an important role of EP in the detection of information conveyed by the alterations of vocalizations. Discrimination of the neural responses to different alterations of vocalizations could be based on either firing rate, type of temporal response, or neural synchrony, suggesting that all these are likely simultaneously used in processing of natural and altered conspecific vocalizations.

Auditory Imagery Modulates Frequency-specific Areas in the Human Auditory Cortex

2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jihoon Oh ◽  
Jae Hyung Kwon ◽  
Po Song Yang ◽  
Jaeseung Jeong
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Primary Auditory Cortex ◽  
Auditory Imagery ◽  
Neural Responses ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Visual Areas ◽  
Control Functional ◽  
Response Area

Neural responses in early sensory areas are influenced by top–down processing. In the visual system, early visual areas have been shown to actively participate in top–down processing based on their topographical properties. Although it has been suggested that the auditory cortex is involved in top–down control, functional evidence of topographic modulation is still lacking. Here, we show that mental auditory imagery for familiar melodies induces significant activation in the frequency-responsive areas of the primary auditory cortex (PAC). This activation is related to the characteristics of the imagery: when subjects were asked to imagine high-frequency melodies, we observed increased activation in the high- versus low-frequency response area; when the subjects were asked to imagine low-frequency melodies, the opposite was observed. Furthermore, we found that A1 is more closely related to the observed frequency-related modulation than R in tonotopic subfields of the PAC. Our findings suggest that top–down processing in the auditory cortex relies on a mechanism similar to that used in the perception of external auditory stimuli, which is comparable to early visual systems.

Neural Responses in Primary Auditory Cortex Mimic Psychophysical, Across-Frequency-Channel, Gap-Detection Thresholds

2000 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 1453-1463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jos J. Eggermont
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Primary Auditory Cortex ◽  
Noise Burst ◽  
Gap Detection ◽  
Frequency Content ◽  
Neural Responses ◽  
Frequency Channel ◽  
Interval Representations ◽  
Onset Response

Responses of single- and multi-units in primary auditory cortex were recorded for gap-in-noise stimuli for different durations of the leading noise burst. Both firing rate and inter-spike interval representations were evaluated. The minimum detectable gap decreased in exponential fashion with the duration of the leading burst to reach an asymptote for durations of 100 ms. Despite the fact that leading and trailing noise bursts had the same frequency content, the dependence on leading burst duration was correlated with psychophysical estimates of across frequency channel (different frequency content of leading and trailing burst) gap thresholds in humans. The duration of the leading burst plus that of the gap was represented in the all-order inter-spike interval histograms for cortical neurons. The recovery functions for cortical neurons could be modeled on basis of fast synaptic depression and after-hyperpolarization produced by the onset response to the leading noise burst. This suggests that the minimum gap representation in the firing pattern of neurons in primary auditory cortex, and minimum gap detection in behavioral tasks is largely determined by properties intrinsic to those, or potentially subcortical, cells.

Representation of Spectral and Temporal Sound Features in Three Cortical Fields of the Cat. Similarities Outweigh Differences

1998 ◽  
Vol 80 (5) ◽  
pp. 2743-2764 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jos J. Eggermont
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Frequency Tuning ◽  
Tuning Curve ◽  
Primary Auditory Cortex ◽  
Temporal Coding ◽  
Modulation Transfer ◽  
Temporal Response ◽  
Response Latencies ◽  
Response Properties ◽  
Sound Features

Eggermont, Jos J. Representation of spectral and temporal sound features in three cortical fields of the cat. Similarities outweigh differences. J. Neurophysiol. 80: 2743–2764, 1998. This study investigates the degree of similarity of three different auditory cortical areas with respect to the coding of periodic stimuli. Simultaneous single- and multiunit recordings in response to periodic stimuli were made from primary auditory cortex (AI), anterior auditory field (AAF), and secondary auditory cortex (AII) in the cat to addresses the following questions: is there, within each cortical area, a difference in the temporal coding of periodic click trains, amplitude-modulated (AM) noise bursts, and AM tone bursts? Is there a difference in this coding between the three cortical fields? Is the coding based on the temporal modulation transfer function (tMTF) and on the all-order interspike-interval (ISI) histogram the same? Is the perceptual distinction between rhythm and roughness for AM stimuli related to a temporal versus spatial representation of AM frequency in auditory cortex? Are interarea differences in temporal response properties related to differences in frequency tuning? The results showed that: 1) AM stimuli produce much higher best modulation frequencies (BMFs) and limiting rates than periodic click trains. 2) For periodic click trains and AM noise, the BMFs and limiting rates were not significantly different for the three areas. However, for AM tones the BMF and limiting rates were about a factor 2 lower in AAF compared with the other areas. 3) The representation of stimulus periodicity in ISIs resulted in significantly lower mean BMFs and limiting rates compared with those estimated from the tMTFs. The difference was relatively small for periodic click trains but quite large for both AM stimuli, especially in AI and AII. 4) Modulation frequencies <20 Hz were represented in the ISIs, suggesting that rhythm is coded in auditory cortex in temporal fashion. 5) In general only a modest interdependence of spectral- and temporal-response properties in AI and AII was found. The BMFs were correlated positively with characteristic frequency in AAF. The limiting rate was positively correlated with the frequency-tuning curve bandwidth in AI and AII but not in AAF. Only in AAF was a correlation between BMF and minimum latency was found. Thus whereas differences were found in the frequency-tuning curve bandwidth and minimum response latencies among the three areas, the coding of periodic stimuli in these areas was fairly similar with the exception of the very poor representation of AM tones in AII. This suggests a strong parallel processing organization in auditory cortex.

scholarly journals Effects of deafness and cochlear implant use on temporal response characteristics in cat primary auditory cortex

2014 ◽  
Vol 315 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
James B. Fallon ◽  
Robert K. Shepherd ◽  
David A.X. Nayagam ◽  
Andrew K. Wise ◽  
Leon F. Heffer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Cochlear Implant ◽  
Primary Auditory Cortex ◽  
Temporal Response ◽  
Response Characteristics

The Effects of Propofol on Neural Responses in the Mouse Primary Auditory Cortex

2020 ◽  
Vol Publish Ahead of Print ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Du ◽  
Ninglong Xu ◽  
Kai Wang ◽  
Chao Liang ◽  
Changhong Miao
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Primary Auditory Cortex ◽  
Neural Responses

Frequency-Modulation Encoding in the Primary Auditory Cortex of the Awake Owl Monkey

2007 ◽  
Vol 98 (4) ◽  
pp. 2182-2195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig A. Atencio ◽  
David T. Blake ◽  
Fabrizio Strata ◽  
Steven W. Cheung ◽  
Michael M. Merzenich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
World Monkey ◽  
Receptive Fields ◽  
Primary Auditory Cortex ◽  
Direction Selectivity ◽  
Neural Responses ◽  
Population Distributions ◽  
Spectrotemporal Receptive Fields ◽  
Owl Monkey ◽  
Highly Correlated

Many communication sounds, such as New World monkey twitter calls, contain frequency-modulated (FM) sweeps. To determine how this prominent vocalization element is represented in the auditory cortex we examined neural responses to logarithmic FM sweep stimuli in the primary auditory cortex (AI) of two awake owl monkeys. Using an implanted array of microelectrodes we quantitatively characterized neuronal responses to FM sweeps and to random tone-pip stimuli. Tone-pip responses were used to construct spectrotemporal receptive fields (STRFs). Classification of FM sweep responses revealed few neurons with high direction and speed selectivity. Most neurons responded to sweeps in both directions and over a broad range of sweep speeds. Characteristic frequency estimates from FM responses were highly correlated with estimates from STRFs, although spectral receptive field bandwidth was consistently underestimated by FM stimuli. Predictions of FM direction selectivity and best speed from STRFs were significantly correlated with observed FM responses, although some systematic discrepancies existed. Last, the population distributions of FM responses in the awake owl monkey were similar to, although of longer temporal duration than, those in the anesthetized squirrel monkeys.

Tactile stimulation and hemispheric asymmetries modulate auditory perception and neural responses in primary auditory cortex

NeuroImage ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 79 ◽  
pp. 371-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Hoefer ◽  
S. Tyll ◽  
M. Kanowski ◽  
M. Brosch ◽  
M.A. Schoenfeld ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Auditory Perception ◽  
Tactile Stimulation ◽  
Primary Auditory Cortex ◽  
Neural Responses ◽  
Hemispheric Asymmetries

Differential Representation of Species-Specific Primate Vocalizations in the Auditory Cortices of Marmoset and Cat

2001 ◽  
Vol 86 (5) ◽  
pp. 2616-2620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoqin Wang ◽  
Siddhartha C. Kadia
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Primary Auditory Cortex ◽  
Cortical Processing ◽  
Neural Responses ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Auditory Cortices ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Primate Vocalizations ◽  
Marmoset Monkeys

A number of studies in various species have demonstrated that natural vocalizations generally produce stronger neural responses than do their time-reversed versions. The majority of neurons in the primary auditory cortex (A1) of marmoset monkeys responds more strongly to natural marmoset vocalizations than to the time-reversed vocalizations. However, it was unclear whether such differences in neural responses were simply due to the difference between the acoustic structures of natural and time-reversed vocalizations or whether they also resulted from the difference in behavioral relevance of both types of the stimuli. To address this issue, we have compared neural responses to natural and time-reversed marmoset twitter calls in A1 of cats with those obtained from A1 of marmosets using identical stimuli. It was found that the preference for natural marmoset twitter calls demonstrated in marmoset A1 was absent in cat A1. While both cortices responded approximately equally to time-reversed twitter calls, marmoset A1 responded much more strongly to natural twitter calls than did cat A1. This differential representation of marmoset vocalizations in two cortices suggests that experience-dependent and possibly species-specific mechanisms are involved in cortical processing of communication sounds.

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