Auditory Cortical Responses Elicited in Awake Primates by Random Spectrum Stimuli

摘要: Contrary to findings in subcortical auditory nuclei, cortex neurons have traditionally been described as spiking only at the onsets of simple sounds such pure tones or bandpass noise and acoustic transients complex sounds. Furthermore, primary (A1) has mostly tone responsive lateral belt area primates responsive. The present study was designed unify these two cortical areas using random spectrum stimuli (RSS), a new class parametric, wideband, stationary stimuli. We found that 60% all encountered A1 awake marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus) showed significant changes firing rates response RSS. Of these, 89% sustained one more individual RSS, substantially greater percentage than would be expected from traditional studies, indicating RSS are well suited for studying areas. When elicited by were used construct linear estimates frequency tuning responders, shape estimate function remained relatively constant throughout stimulus interval across properties mean sound level, spectral density, contrast. This finding indicates computed reflects robust actual neuron. Use this predict rate responses other however, yielded poor results, implying integrate information nonlinearly. No systematic difference prediction quality between could detected.