Neurons in the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) exhibit strong nonlinearities in spectral processing. Low-order models that transform the stimulus spectrum into discharge rate using a combination of first- and second-order weighting of the spectrum (quadratic models) usually fail to predict responses to novel stimuli for principal neurons in the DCN, even though they work well in ventral cochlear ...

The emergence of hyperactivity in the form of elevated spontaneous firing rates after cochlear trauma has been well documented in a number of central auditory structures, including the auditory cortex, inferior colliculus, and dorsal subdivision of the cochlear nucleus. This hyperactivity is of interest as a possible neural substrate of tinnitus. Whether the ventral subdivision of the cochlear ...

We compared the distribution of GABAA and GABAB binding sites in the cochlear nucleus using quantitative receptor autoradiography with [3H]GABA. To visualize GABAA binding sites, GABAB binding sites were blocked with +/- baclofen. To visualize GABAB binding sites, isoguvacine was used to block GABAA binding sites. GABAA binding sites predominated over GABAB, although there were marked regional ...

Recordings from single neurons in the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) of unanesthetized (decerebrate) cats were done to characterize the effects of acoustic trauma. Trauma was produced by a 250 Hz band of noise centered at 10 kHz, presented at 105-120 dB SPL for 4h. After a one-month recovery period, neurons were recorded in the DCN. The threshold shift, determined from compound action-potential ...

The dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) is one of three nuclei at the terminal zone of the auditory nerve. Axons of its projection neurons course via the dorsal acoustic stria (DAS) to the inferior colliculus (IC), where their signals are integrated with inputs from various other sources. The DCN presumably conveys sensitivity to spectral features, and it has been hypothesized that it plays a role in...

Investigations in animal models and humans have indicated that congenital deafness produces degenerative changes in the central auditory pathway. The cochlear nucleus is the first central structure that receives cochlear input, and may be considered the origin of ascending auditory pathways. In this context, we studied congenitally deaf white cats, who express early onset cochlear receptor loss...

AM Amplitude modulation AN Auditory nerve BD Best delay BMF Best modulation frequency BF Best frequency CD Characteristic delay CN Cochlear nucleus CP Characteristic phase CR Chopping rate DCN Dorsal cochlear nucleus DNLL Dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus EI Contralaterally excited and ipsilaterally inhibited EI/F EI with facilitation F0 Fundamental frequency IC Inferior colliculus ICC Ce...

The brainstem auditory pathway of the chicken were used to examine the relationship between the maintenance of dendrites following denervation and the successful reinnervation (sprouting) by surviving afferents. In the system the third-order cells in n. laminaris receive spatially segregated binaural innervation from n. magnocellularis. Afferents from the ipsilateral n. magnocellularis innervat...

The status of the organization of the auditory corticofugal systems is summarized. These are among the largest pathways in the brain, with descending connections to auditory and non-auditory thalamic, midbrain, and medullary regions. Auditory corticofugal influence thus reaches sites immediately presynaptic to the cortex, sites remote from the cortex, as in periolivary regions that may have a c...