Abstract
Vertebrate hair cell systems receive innervation from efferent neurons in the brain. Here we report the responses of octavolateral efferent neurons that innervate the inner ear and lateral lines in a teleost fish, Dormitator latifrons, to directional linear accelerations, and compare them with the afferent responses from the saccule, the main auditory organ in the inner ear of this species. Efferent neurons responded to acoustic stimuli, but had significantly different response properties than saccular afferents. The efferents produced uniform, omnidirectional responses with no phase-locking. Evoked spike rates increased monotonically with stimulus intensity. Efferents were more broadly tuned and responsive to lower frequencies than saccular afferents, and efferent modulation of the otolithic organs and lateral lines is likely more pronounced at lower frequencies. The efferents had wide dynamic ranges, shallow rate-level function slopes, and low maximum discharge rates. These findings support the role of the efferent innervation of the otolithic organs as part of a general arousal system that modulates overall sensitivity of the peripheral octavolateral organs. In addition, efferent feedback may help unmask biologically relevant directional stimuli, such as those emitted by a predator, prey, or conspecific, by reducing sensitivity of the auditory system to omnidirectional ambient noise.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 51-67 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | Journal of Comparative Physiology A: Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology |
| Volume | 192 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2006 |
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Keywords
- Anatomy
- Hearing
- Otolith
- Physiology
- Vestibular
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Animal Science and Zoology
- Physiology
- Physiology (medical)
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Neuroscience(all)
Cite this
Auditory physiology and anatomy of octavolateral efferent neurons in a teleost fish. / Tomchik, Seth M.; Lu, Zhongmin.
In: Journal of Comparative Physiology A: Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology, Vol. 192, No. 1, 01.01.2006, p. 51-67.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Auditory physiology and anatomy of octavolateral efferent neurons in a teleost fish
AU - Tomchik, Seth M.
AU - Lu, Zhongmin
PY - 2006/1/1
Y1 - 2006/1/1
N2 - Vertebrate hair cell systems receive innervation from efferent neurons in the brain. Here we report the responses of octavolateral efferent neurons that innervate the inner ear and lateral lines in a teleost fish, Dormitator latifrons, to directional linear accelerations, and compare them with the afferent responses from the saccule, the main auditory organ in the inner ear of this species. Efferent neurons responded to acoustic stimuli, but had significantly different response properties than saccular afferents. The efferents produced uniform, omnidirectional responses with no phase-locking. Evoked spike rates increased monotonically with stimulus intensity. Efferents were more broadly tuned and responsive to lower frequencies than saccular afferents, and efferent modulation of the otolithic organs and lateral lines is likely more pronounced at lower frequencies. The efferents had wide dynamic ranges, shallow rate-level function slopes, and low maximum discharge rates. These findings support the role of the efferent innervation of the otolithic organs as part of a general arousal system that modulates overall sensitivity of the peripheral octavolateral organs. In addition, efferent feedback may help unmask biologically relevant directional stimuli, such as those emitted by a predator, prey, or conspecific, by reducing sensitivity of the auditory system to omnidirectional ambient noise.
AB - Vertebrate hair cell systems receive innervation from efferent neurons in the brain. Here we report the responses of octavolateral efferent neurons that innervate the inner ear and lateral lines in a teleost fish, Dormitator latifrons, to directional linear accelerations, and compare them with the afferent responses from the saccule, the main auditory organ in the inner ear of this species. Efferent neurons responded to acoustic stimuli, but had significantly different response properties than saccular afferents. The efferents produced uniform, omnidirectional responses with no phase-locking. Evoked spike rates increased monotonically with stimulus intensity. Efferents were more broadly tuned and responsive to lower frequencies than saccular afferents, and efferent modulation of the otolithic organs and lateral lines is likely more pronounced at lower frequencies. The efferents had wide dynamic ranges, shallow rate-level function slopes, and low maximum discharge rates. These findings support the role of the efferent innervation of the otolithic organs as part of a general arousal system that modulates overall sensitivity of the peripheral octavolateral organs. In addition, efferent feedback may help unmask biologically relevant directional stimuli, such as those emitted by a predator, prey, or conspecific, by reducing sensitivity of the auditory system to omnidirectional ambient noise.
KW - Anatomy
KW - Hearing
KW - Otolith
KW - Physiology
KW - Vestibular
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=29544440284&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=29544440284&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00359-005-0050-0
DO - 10.1007/s00359-005-0050-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 16180037
AN - SCOPUS:29544440284
VL - 192
SP - 51
EP - 67
JO - Journal of Comparative Physiology A: Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology
JF - Journal of Comparative Physiology A: Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology
SN - 0340-7594
IS - 1
ER -