Temporally patterned sound pulse trains affect intensity and frequency sensitivity of inferior collicular neurons of the big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus

Philip H.S. Jen*, Xiaoming Zhou, Chung Wu

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

27 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study examined the effect of temporally patterned pulse trains on intensity and frequency sensitivity of inferior collicular neurons of the big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus. Intensity sensitivity of inferior collicular neurons was expressed by the dynamic range and slope of rate-intensity functions. Inferior collicular neurons with non-monotonic rate-intensity functions have smaller dynamic ranges and larger slopes than neurons with monotonic or saturated rate-intensity functions. Intensity sensitivity of all inferior collicular neurons improved by increasing the number of non-monotonic rate-intensity functions when the pulse repetition rate of pulse trains increased from 10 to 30 pulses per second. Intensity sensitivity of 43% inferior collicular neurons further improved when the pulse repetition rate of pulse trains increased still from 30 to 90 pulses per second. Frequency sensitivity of inferior collicular neurons was expressed by the Q10, Q20, and Q30 values of threshold frequency tuning curves and bandwidths of isointensity frequency tuning curves. Threshold frequency tuning curves of all inferior collicular neurons were V-shape and mirror-images of their counterpart isointensity frequency tuning curves. The Q10, Q20, and Q30 values of threshold frequency tuning curves of all inferior collicular neurons progressively increased and bandwidths of isointensity frequency tuning curves decreased with increasing pulse repetition rate in temporally patterned pulse trains. Biological relevance of these findings to bat echolocation is discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)605-616
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Comparative Physiology - A Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology
Volume187
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2001
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Bat
  • Frequency tuning curve
  • Inferior colliculus
  • Pulse train
  • Rate-intensity function

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
  • Physiology
  • Animal Science and Zoology
  • Behavioral Neuroscience

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