AP responses in forward-masking paradigms and their relationship to responses of auditory-nerve fibers

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The amplitude of N 1 peak of whole‐nerve AP was measured in cats using a tone‐burst probe with tonal maskers in a forward‐masking paradigm. Experiments examined the effects of masker level, frequency, and duration (T m ), as well as interstimulus interval (Δt). Results are consistent with the interpretation that amplitude of N 1 reflects activity of a limited group of fibers with CF near the probe frequency. For single fibers, decrement in discharge rate (relative to an unmasked condition) is dependent upon rate to the masker [Smith, Neurophys. 40 (1977)]. For the AP, decrement in probe‐elicited amplitude should reflect the rate to the masker in those fibers excited by the probe. Thus measurements of N 1 decrement v e r s u s masker frequency and level are similar to single unit rate v e r s u s level functions. Since decrement in N 1 reflects amount of adaptation, increasing T m decreases probe response. N 1 amplitude as a function of T m thus resembles PST histograms of nerve fibers. Finally, plots of N 1 amplitude as a function of Δt are interpreted as a measure of recovery from adaptation.

This publication has 10 references indexed in Scilit: