Postnatal development in the acoustic system of the house mouse in the light of developing masked thresholds

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Abstract
Postnatal development of masked auditory thresholds in the house mouse M u s m u s c u l u s were behaviorally measured from the 10th to the 24th day. An unconditioned stop reflex and an unconditioned pinna reflex to tones were used for threshold determinations. Masked threshold levels first decrease from day 10 to day 12, then increase or remain constant until day 14, and finally decrease until day 16–18, where the adult levels are reached. The results are in agreement with anatomical and electrophysiological data in the literature. It was concluded that in the developing acoustical system of the mouse two effects superimpose: peripheral completion and central maturation. The data can be interpreted such that the peripheral development which lasts until day 14 dominates between the 12th and 14th postnatal day, whereas development in the central nervous system influences thresholds between day 10 and day 16–18. The widths of critical masking bands are assumed to be constant during development and determined by peripheral mechanisms.