Biomaterial Database

Frequency discrimination in the monkey. 1990

C A Prosen, and D B Moody, and M S Sommers, and W C Stebbins

Kresge Hearing Research Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109.

This study evaluated frequency discrimination ability in 11 monkeys over an extended period of time using a repeating-standard procedure and the method of constant stimuli. The intersubject variability of the difference limens for frequency (delta F) was large, as reported by other investigators, but similar in magnitude to the variability of the difference limens for intensity (delta I) from three of the same subjects in an intensity discrimination experiment. Continued training generally resulted in a rapid decrease in delta F's, followed by a longer-term, slower decrease. For one subject delta F's slowly decreased throughout a 190-week time period. This long-term training effect was specific to frequency discrimination; a similar effect was not observed for the same subject tested in an intensity discrimination experiment. Finally, delta F's from the well-trained monkeys of this study were larger than monkey delta F's from this laboratory reported in an earlier study, and than human delta F's. An anatomical explanation for the human/monkey delta F magnitude difference is explored.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D010470	Perceptual Masking	The interference of one perceptual stimulus with another causing a decrease or lessening in perceptual effectiveness.	Masking, Perceptual,Maskings, Perceptual,Perceptual Maskings
D010897	Pitch Discrimination	The ability to differentiate sound frequency or pitch.	Discrimination, Pitch,Pitch Discriminations
D011939	Mental Recall	The process whereby a representation of past experience is elicited.	Recall, Mental
D002520	Cercopithecidae	The family of Old World monkeys and baboons consisting of two subfamilies: CERCOPITHECINAE and COLOBINAE. They are found in Africa and part of Asia.	Catarrhina,Miopithecus talapoin,Monkey, Talapoin,Monkeys, Old World,Monkey, Old World,Old World Monkey,Old World Monkeys,Talapoin Monkey,Talapoin Monkeys,World Monkey, Old
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001288	Attention	Focusing on certain aspects of current experience to the exclusion of others. It is the act of heeding or taking notice or concentrating.	Focus of Attention,Selective Attention,Social Attention,Attention Focus,Attention, Selective,Attention, Social,Selective Attentions
D013045	Species Specificity	The restriction of a characteristic behavior, anatomical structure or physical system, such as immune response; metabolic response, or gene or gene variant to the members of one species. It refers to that property which differentiates one species from another but it is also used for phylogenetic levels higher or lower than the species.	Species Specificities,Specificities, Species,Specificity, Species