Processing of low-probability sounds by cortical neurons

摘要: The ability to detect rare auditory events can be critical for survival. We report here that neurons in cat primary cortex (A1) responded more strongly a rarely presented sound than the same when it was common. For stimuli, we used both frequency and amplitude deviants. Moreover, some A1 showed hyperacuity deviants--a resolution one order of magnitude better receptive field widths A1. In contrast, thalamic were insensitive probability These phenomena resulted from stimulus-specific adaptation A1, which may single-neuron correlate an extensively studied cortical potential--mismatch negativity--that is evoked by sounds. Our results thus indicate neurons, addition processing acoustic features sounds, also involved sensory memory novelty detection.