Growth rate of simultaneous masking in cat auditory-nerve fibers: relationship to the growth of basilar-membrane motion and the origin of two-tone suppression. 1997

X D Pang, and J J Guinan
Eaton-Peabody Laboratory of Auditory Physiology, Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston 02114, USA.

Although many aspects of the mechanisms by which low-frequency sounds exert their powerful masking on responses to high-frequency sounds are well documented and understood, there are few data on the growth of masking for signal frequencies near, but not necessarily at, auditory-nerve-fiber characteristic frequency (CF). Masking of responses to 6- or 8-kHz tones by a continuous 300-Hz band of noise centered at 500 Hz was measured in single auditory-nerve fibers with various CFs. The growth rate of maskings averaged approximately 2 dB/dB, was typically largest for tones about 10% above fiber CF, and decreased at higher and lower frequencies. This pattern of masking versus frequency relative to CF resembles the pattern of compression of the growth of basilar membrane motion versus frequency at a fixed cochlear place. This correspondence supports the hypothesis that the high growth rate of masking by low-frequency sounds is due to the same mechanisms which produce the compression in the growth of basilar membrane motion.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009412 Nerve Fibers Slender processes of NEURONS, including the AXONS and their glial envelopes (MYELIN SHEATH). Nerve fibers conduct nerve impulses to and from the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. Cerebellar Mossy Fibers,Mossy Fibers, Cerebellar,Cerebellar Mossy Fiber,Mossy Fiber, Cerebellar,Nerve Fiber
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
D002415 Cats The domestic cat, Felis catus, of the carnivore family FELIDAE, comprising over 30 different breeds. The domestic cat is descended primarily from the wild cat of Africa and extreme southwestern Asia. Though probably present in towns in Palestine as long ago as 7000 years, actual domestication occurred in Egypt about 4000 years ago. (From Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th ed, p801) Felis catus,Felis domesticus,Domestic Cats,Felis domestica,Felis sylvestris catus,Cat,Cat, Domestic,Cats, Domestic,Domestic Cat
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000159 Vestibulocochlear Nerve The 8th cranial nerve. The vestibulocochlear nerve has a cochlear part (COCHLEAR NERVE) which is concerned with hearing and a vestibular part (VESTIBULAR NERVE) which mediates the sense of balance and head position. The fibers of the cochlear nerve originate from neurons of the SPIRAL GANGLION and project to the cochlear nuclei (COCHLEAR NUCLEUS). The fibers of the vestibular nerve arise from neurons of Scarpa's ganglion and project to the VESTIBULAR NUCLEI. Cranial Nerve VIII,Eighth Cranial Nerve,Cochleovestibular Nerve,Statoacoustic Nerve,Cochleovestibular Nerves,Cranial Nerve VIIIs,Cranial Nerve, Eighth,Cranial Nerves, Eighth,Eighth Cranial Nerves,Nerve VIIIs, Cranial,Nerve, Cochleovestibular,Nerve, Eighth Cranial,Nerve, Statoacoustic,Nerve, Vestibulocochlear,Nerves, Cochleovestibular,Nerves, Eighth Cranial,Nerves, Statoacoustic,Nerves, Vestibulocochlear,Statoacoustic Nerves,VIIIs, Cranial Nerve,Vestibulocochlear Nerves
D000161 Acoustic Stimulation Use of sound to elicit a response in the nervous system. Auditory Stimulation,Stimulation, Acoustic,Stimulation, Auditory
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
D001489 Basilar Membrane A basement membrane in the cochlea that supports the hair cells of the ORGAN OF CORTI, consisting keratin-like fibrils. It stretches from the SPIRAL LAMINA to the basilar crest. The movement of fluid in the cochlea, induced by sound, causes displacement of the basilar membrane and subsequent stimulation of the attached hair cells which transform the mechanical signal into neural activity. Basilar Membranes,Membrane, Basilar,Membranes, Basilar

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