Cat superior olive S-segment cell discharge to tonal stimulation

Bilateral and symmetric glycinergic and glutamatergic projections from the LSO to the IC in the CBA/CaH mouse

Auditory space has been conceptualized as a matrix of systematically arranged combinations of binaural disparity cues that arise in the superior olivary complex (SOC). The computational code for interaural time and intensity differences utilizes excitatory and inhibitory projections that converge in the inferior colliculus (IC). The challenge is to determine the neural circuits underlying this convergence and to model how the binaural cues encode location. It has been shown that midbrain neurons are largely excited by sound from the contralateral ear and inhibited by sound leading at the ipsilateral ear. In this context, ascending projections from the lateral superior olive (LSO) to the IC have been reported to be ipsilaterally glycinergic and contralaterally glutamatergic. This study used CBA/CaH mice (3-6 months old) and applied unilateral retrograde tracing techniques into the IC in conjunction with immunocytochemical methods with glycine and glutamate transporters (GlyT2 and vGLUT2, respectively) to analyze the projection patterns from the LSO to the IC. Glycinergic and glutamatergic neurons were spatially intermixed within the LSO, and both types projected to the IC. For GlyT2 and vGLUT2 neurons, the average percentage of ipsilaterally and contralaterally projecting cells was similar (ANOVA, p = 0.48). A roughly equal number of GlyT2 and vGLUT2 neurons did not project to the IC. The somatic size and shape of these neurons match the descriptions of LSO principal cells. A minor but distinct population of small (< 40 μm2) neurons that labeled for GlyT2 did not project to the IC; these cells emerge as candidates for inhibitory local circuit neurons. Our findings indicate a symmetric and bilateral projection of glycine and glutamate neurons from the LSO to the IC. The differences between our results and those from previous studies suggest that species and habitat differences have a significant role in mechanisms of binaural processing and highlight the importance of research methods and comparative neuroscience. These data will be important for modeling how excitatory and inhibitory systems converge to create auditory space in the CBA/CaH mouse.

Differential projections from the cochlear nucleus to the inferior colliculus in the mouse

The cochlear nucleus (CN) is often regarded as the gateway to the central auditory system because it initiates all ascending pathways. The CN consists of dorsal and ventral divisions (DCN and VCN, respectively), and whereas the DCN functions in the analysis of spectral cues, circuitry in VCN is part of the pathway focused on processing binaural information necessary for sound localization in horizontal plane. Both structures project to the inferior colliculus (IC), which serves as a hub for the auditory system because pathways ascending to the forebrain and descending from the cerebral cortex converge there to integrate auditory, motor, and other sensory information. DCN and VCN terminations in the IC are thought to overlap but given the differences in VCN and DCN architecture, neuronal properties, and functions in behavior, we aimed to investigate the pattern of CN connections in the IC in more detail. This study used electrophysiological recordings to establish the frequency sensitivity at the site of the anterograde dye injection for the VCN and DCN of the CBA/CaH mouse. We examined their contralateral projections that terminate in the IC. The VCN projections form a topographic sheet in the central nucleus (CNIC). The DCN projections form a tripartite set of laminar sheets; the lamina in the CNIC extends into the dorsal cortex (DC), whereas the sheets to the lateral cortex (LC) and ventrolateral cortex (VLC) are obliquely angled away. These fields in the IC are topographic with low frequencies situated dorsally and progressively higher frequencies lying more ventrally and/or laterally; the laminae nestle into the underlying higher frequency fields. The DCN projections are complementary to the somatosensory modules of layer II of the LC but both auditory and spinal trigeminal terminations converge in the VLC. While there remains much to be learned about these circuits, these new data on auditory circuits can be considered in the context of multimodal networks that facilitate auditory stream segregation, signal processing, and species survival.

The lateral superior olive in the mouse: Two systems of projecting neurons

The lateral superior olive (LSO) is a key structure in the central auditory system of mammals that exerts efferent control on cochlear sensitivity and is involved in the processing of binaural level differences for sound localization. Understanding how the LSO contributes to these processes requires knowledge about the resident cells and their connections with other auditory structures. We used standard histological stains and retrograde tracer injections into the inferior colliculus (IC) and cochlea in order to characterize two basic groups of neurons: (1) Principal and periolivary (PO) neurons have projections to the IC as part of the ascending auditory pathway; and (2) lateral olivocochlear (LOC) intrinsic and shell efferents have descending projections to the cochlea. Principal and intrinsic neurons are intermixed within the LSO, exhibit fusiform somata, and have disk-shaped dendritic arborizations. The principal neurons have bilateral, symmetric, and tonotopic projections to the IC. The intrinsic efferents have strictly ipsilateral projections, known to be tonotopic from previous publications. PO and shell neurons represent much smaller populations (&lt;10% of principal and intrinsic neurons, respectively), have multipolar somata, reside outside the LSO, and have non-topographic, bilateral projections. PO and shell neurons appear to have widespread projections to their targets that imply a more diffuse modulatory function. The somata and dendrites of principal and intrinsic neurons form a laminar matrix within the LSO and share quantifiably similar alignment to the tonotopic axis. Their restricted projections emphasize the importance of frequency in binaural processing and efferent control for auditory perception. This study addressed and expanded on previous findings of cell types, circuit laterality, and projection tonotopy in the LSO of the mouse.

Principal cells of the brainstem's interaural sound level detector are temporal differentiators rather than integrators

The brainstem’s lateral superior olive (LSO) is thought to be crucial for localizing high-frequency sounds by coding interaural sound level differences (ILD). Its neurons weigh contralateral inhibition against ipsilateral excitation, making their firing rate a function of the azimuthal position of a sound source. Since the very first in vivo recordings, LSO principal neurons have been reported to give sustained and temporally integrating ‘chopper’ responses to sustained sounds. Neurons with transient responses were observed but largely ignored and even considered a sign of pathology. Using the Mongolian gerbil as a model system, we have obtained the first in vivo patch clamp recordings from labeled LSO neurons and find that principal LSO neurons, the most numerous projection neurons of this nucleus, only respond at sound onset and show fast membrane features suggesting an importance for timing. These results provide a new framework to interpret previously puzzling features of this circuit.

Excitation by Axon Terminal GABA Spillover in a Sound Localization Circuit

Synapses from neurons of the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) onto neurons of the lateral superior olive (LSO) in the auditory brainstem are glycinergic in maturity, but also GABAergic and glutamatergic in development. The role for this neurotransmitter cotransmission is poorly understood. Here we use electrophysiological recordings in brainstem slices from P3-P21 mice to demonstrate that GABA release evoked from MNTB axons can spill over to neighboring MNTB axons and cause excitation by activating GABAAR. This spillover excitation generates patterns of staggered neurotransmitter release from different MNTB axons resulting in characteristic "doublet" postsynaptic currents in LSO neurons. Postembedding immunogold labeling and electron microscopy provide evidence that GABAARs are localized at MNTB axon terminals. Photolytic uncaging of p-hydroxyphenacyl (pHP) GABA demonstrates backpropagation of GABAAR-mediated depolarizations from MNTB axon terminals to the soma, some hundreds of microns away. These somatic depolarizations enhanced somatic excitability by increasing the probability of action potential generation. GABA spillover excitation between MNTB axon terminals may entrain neighboring MNTB neurons, which may play a role in the developmental refinement of the MNTB-LSO pathway. Axonal spillover excitation persisted beyond the second postnatal week, suggesting that this mechanism may play a role in sound localization, by providing new avenues of communication between MNTB neurons via their distal axonal projections. Significance statement: In this study, a new mechanism of neuronal communication between auditory synapses in the mammalian sound localization pathway is described. Evidence is provided that the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA can spill over between axon terminals to cause excitation of nearby synapses to further stimulate neurotransmitter release. Excitatory GABA spillover between inhibitory axon terminals may have important implications for the development and refinement of this auditory circuit and may play a role in the ability to precisely localize sound sources.

Changes in the immunohistochemical localization of the glycine receptor in the superior olivary complex of adult circling mice

Circling mice is a mutant model of spontaneous deafness exhibiting degenerated spiral ganglion cells in the cochlea and loss of organ of Corti. The balance between glycinergic inhibition and glutamatergic excitation in the lateral superior olive (LSO) is essential for the detection of interaural level differences. Long term weakening of glycinergic synaptic inhibition in the LSO may lead to the downregulation of synaptic release of glycine in dorsal cochlear nucleus and downregulation of postsynaptic glycine receptor (GlyR) activity in the LSO, which may contribute to hearing loss. The present study utilized an immunohistochemical method to assess changes in GlyR immunoreactivity (IR) and the cell number in the superior olivary complex (SOC) of heterozygote (+/cir) and homozygote (cir/cir) circling mice. A significant decrease in the IR was observed in all nuclei of the SOC of homozygous mice. Loss of GlyR immunoreactive cells and a decrement in cell size was also observed in the homozygotes. A decrease in the GlyR IR in the neurons and neuropils, cell number and size of the cir/cir, may lead to profound changes in inhibitory transmission and the functional properties in the SOC nuclei. Therefore, the functional loss of inhibitory neurotransmitters in the brainstem may result in deafness of adult cir/cir mice.

Simultaneous comparison of two sound localization measures

Almost all behavioral studies of sound localization have used either an approach-to-target or pointing/orienting task to assess absolute sound localization performance, yet there are very few direct comparisons of these measures. In an approach-to-target task, the subject is trained to walk to a sound source from a fixed location. In an orienting task, finger, head and/or eye movements are monitored while the subject's body is typically constrained. The fact that subjects may also initiate head and eye movements toward the target during the approach-to-target task allows us to measure the accuracy of the initial orienting response and compare it with subsequent target selection. To perform this comparison, we trained cats to localize a broadband noise presented randomly from one of four speakers located ± 30° and ± 60° in azimuth. The cat responded to each sound presentation by walking to and pressing a lever at the perceived location, and a food reward was delivered if the first attempt was correct. In tandem, we recorded initial head and eye orienting movements, via magnetic search coils, immediately following target onset and prior to the walking response. Reducing either stimulus duration or level resulted in a systematic decline in both measurements of localization performance. When the task was easy, localization performance was accurate for both measures. When the task was more difficult, the number of incorrect (i.e., wrong selection) and no-go (i.e., no selection) responses increased. Interestingly, for many of the incorrect trials, there was a dissociation between the orienting response and the target selected, and for many of the no-go trials, the gaze oriented towards the correct target even though the cat did not move to it. This suggests different neural systems governing walking to a target as compared to unconditioned gaze orienting.

Prediction of human's ability in sound localization based on the statistical properties of spike trains along the brainstem auditory pathway

The minimum audible angle test which is commonly used for evaluating human localization ability depends on interaural time delay, interaural level differences, and spectral information about the acoustic stimulus. These physical properties are estimated at different stages along the brainstem auditory pathway. The interaural time delay is ambiguous at certain frequencies, thus confusion arises as to the source of these frequencies. It is assumed that in a typical minimum audible angle experiment, the brain acts as an unbiased optimal estimator and thus the human performance can be obtained by deriving optimal lower bounds. Two types of lower bounds are tested: the Cramer-Rao and the Barankin. The Cramer-Rao bound only takes into account the approximation of the true direction of the stimulus; the Barankin bound considers other possible directions that arise from the ambiguous phase information. These lower bounds are derived at the output of the auditory nerve and of the superior olivary complex where binaural cues are estimated. An agreement between human experimental data was obtained only when the superior olivary complex was considered and the Barankin lower bound was used. This result suggests that sound localization is estimated by the auditory nuclei using ambiguous binaural information.

A modeling study of the responses of the lateral superior olive to ipsilateral sinusoidally amplitude-modulated tones

The lateral superior olive (LSO) is a brainstem nucleus that is classically understood to encode binaural information in high-frequency sounds. Previous studies have shown that LSO cells are sensitive to envelope interaural time difference in sinusoidally amplitude-modulated (SAM) tones (Joris and Yin, J Neurophysiol 73:1043-1062, 1995; Joris, J Neurophysiol 76:2137-2156, 1996) and that a subpopulation of LSO neurons exhibit low-threshold potassium currents mediated by Kv1 channels (Barnes-Davies et al., Eur J Neurosci 19:325-333, 2004). It has also been shown that in many LSO cells the average response rate to ipsilateral SAM tones decreases with modulation frequency above a few hundred Hertz (Joris and Yin, J Neurophysiol 79:253-269, 1998). This low-pass feature is not directly inherited from the inputs to the LSO since the response rate of these input neurons changes little with increasing modulation frequency. In the current study, an LSO cell model is developed to investigate mechanisms consistent with the responses described above, notably the emergent rate decrease with increasing frequency. The mechanisms explored included the effects of after-hyperpolarization (AHP) channels, the dynamics of low-threshold potassium channels (KLT), and the effects of background inhibition. In the model, AHP channels alone were not sufficient to induce the observed rate decrease at high modulation frequencies. The model also suggests that the background inhibition alone, possibly from the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body, can account for the small rate decrease seen in some LSO neurons, but could not explain the large rate decrease seen in other LSO neurons at high modulation frequencies. In contrast, both the small and large rate decreases were replicated when KLT channels were included in the LSO neuron model. These results support the conclusion that KLT channels may play a major role in the large rate decreases seen in some units and that background inhibition may be a contributing factor, a factor that could be adequate for small decreases.

Cav1.3 calcium channels are required for normal development of the auditory brainstem

Within the Ca(v)1 family of voltage-gated calcium channels, Ca(v)1.2 and Ca(v)1.3 channels are the predominant subtypes in the brain. Whereas specific functions for each subtype were described in the adult brain, their role in brain development is poorly understood. Here we assess the role of Ca(v)1.3 subunits in the activity-dependent development of the auditory brainstem. We used Ca(v)1.3-deficient (Ca(v)1.3(-/-)) mice because these mice lack cochlea-driven activity that deprives the auditory centers from peripheral input. We found a drastically reduced volume in all auditory brainstem centers (range 25-59%, total 35%), which was manifest before hearing onset. A reduction was not obvious outside the auditory system. The lateral superior olive (LSO) was strikingly malformed in Ca(v)1.3(-/-) mice and had fewer neurons (1/3 less). The remaining LSO neurons displayed normal dendritic trees and received functional glutamatergic input, yet they fired action potentials predominantly with a multiple pattern upon depolarization, in contrast to the single firing pattern prevalent in controls. The latter finding appears to be due to a reduction of dendrototoxin-sensitive potassium conductances, presumably mediated through the K(v)1.2 subtype. Fura2 imaging provided evidence for functional Ca(v)1.3 channels in the LSO of wild-type mice. Our results imply that Ca(v)1.3 channels are indispensable for the development of the central auditory system. We propose that the unique LSO phenotype in Ca(v)1.3(-/-) mice, which hitherto was not described in other hereditary deafness models, is caused by the synergistic contribution of two factors: on-site loss of Ca(v)1.3 channels in the neurons plus lack of peripheral input.

Comparative posthearing development of inhibitory inputs to the lateral superior olive in gerbils and mice

Interaural intensity differences are analyzed in neurons of the lateral superior olive (LSO) by integration of an inhibitory input from the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB), activated by sound from the contralateral ear, with an excitatory input from the ipsilateral cochlear nucleus. The early postnatal refinement of this inhibitory MNTB-LSO projection along the tonotopic axis of the LSO has been extensively studied. However, little is known to what extent physiological changes at these inputs also occur after the onset of sound-evoked activity. Using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings of LSO neurons in acute brain stem slices, we analyzed the developmental changes of inhibitory synaptic currents evoked by MNTB fiber stimulation occurring after hearing onset. We compared these results in gerbils and mice, two species frequently used in auditory research. Our data show that neither the number of presumed input fibers nor the conductance of single fibers significantly changed after hearing onset. Also the amplitude of miniature inhibitory currents remained constant during this developmental period. In contrast, the kinetics of inhibitory synaptic currents greatly accelerated after hearing onset. We conclude that tonotopic refinement of inhibitory projections to the LSO is largely completed before the onset of hearing, whereas acceleration of synaptic kinetics occurs to a large part after hearing onset and might thus be dependent on proper auditory experience. Surprisingly, inhibitory input characteristics, as well as basic membrane properties of LSO neurons, were rather similar in gerbils and mice.

Low-voltage activated Kv1.1 subunits are crucial for the processing of sound source location in the lateral superior olive in mice

Voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels containing Kv1.1 subunits are strongly expressed in neurons that fire temporally precise action potentials (APs). In the auditory system, AP timing is used to localize sound sources by integrating interaural differences in time (ITD) and intensity (IID) using sound arriving at both cochleae. In mammals, the first nucleus to encode IIDs is the lateral superior olive (LSO), which integrates excitation from the ipsilateral ventral cochlear nucleus and contralateral inhibition mediated via the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body. Previously we reported that neurons in this pathway show reduced firing rates, longer latencies and increased jitter in Kv1.1 knockout (Kcna1−/−) mice. Here, we investigate whether these differences have direct impact on IID processing by LSO neurons. Single-unit recordings were made from LSO neurons of wild-type (Kcna1+/+) and from Kcna1−/− mice. IID functions were measured to evaluate genotype-specific changes in integrating excitatory and inhibitory inputs. In Kcna1+/+ mice, IID sensitivity ranged from +27 dB (excitatory ear more intense) to −20 dB (inhibitory ear more intense), thus covering the physiologically relevant range of IIDs. However, the distribution of IID functions in Kcna1−/− mice was skewed towards positive IIDs, favouring ipsilateral sound positions. Our computational model revealed that the reduced performance of IID encoding in the LSO of Kcna1−/− mice is mainly caused by a decrease in temporal fidelity along the inhibitory pathway. These results imply a fundamental role for Kv1.1 in temporal integration of excitation and inhibition during sound source localization.

Stochastic properties of coincidence-detector neural cells

Neural information is characterized by sets of spiking events that travel within the brain through neuron junctions that receive, transmit, and process streams of spikes. Coincidence detection is one of the ways to describe the functionality of a single neural cell. This letter presents an analytical derivation of the output stochastic behavior of a coincidence detector (CD) cell whose stochastic inputs behave as a nonhomogeneous Poisson process (NHPP) with both excitatory and inhibitory inputs. The derivation, which is based on an efficient breakdown of the cell into basic functional elements, results in an output process whose behavior can be approximated as an NHPP as long as the coincidence interval is much smaller than the refractory period of the cell's inputs. Intuitively, the approximation is valid as long as the processing rate is much faster than the incoming information rate. This type of modeling is a simplified but very useful description of neurons since it enables analytical derivations. The statistical properties of single CD cell's output make it possible to integrate and analyze complex neural cells in a feedforward network using the methodology presented here. Accordingly, basic biological characteristics of neural activity are demonstrated, such as a decrease in the spontaneous rate at higher brain levels and improved signal-to-noise ratio for harmonic input signals.

Stochastic properties of auditory brainstem coincidence detectors in binaural perception

In the mammalian auditory brainstem, two types of coincidence detector cells are involved in binaural localization: excitatory-excitatory (EE) and excitatory-inhibitory (EI). Using statistics derived from EE and EI spike trains, binaural discrimination abilities of single tones were predicted. The minimum audible angle (MAA), as well as the just noticeable difference of interaural time delay (ITD) and interaural level difference (ILD) were analytically derived for both EE and EI cells on the basis of two possible neural coding patterns, rate coding that ignores a spike's timing information and all-information coding (AIN), which considers a spike's timing occurrences. Simulation results for levels below saturation were qualitatively compared to experimental data, which yielded the following conclusions: (1) ITD is primarily estimated by EE cells with AIN coding when the ipsilateral auditory input exhibits phase delay between 40 degrees and 65 degrees . (2) In ILD, both AIN and rate coding provide identical performances. It is most likely that ILD is primarily estimated by EI cells according to rate coding, and for ILD the information derived from the spikes' timing is redundant. (3) For MAA estimation, the derivation should take into account ambiguous directions of a source signal in addition to its true value.

Bilirubin potentiates inhibitory synaptic transmission in lateral superior olive neurons of the rat

Bilirubin is a well-known neurotoxin that can result in multiple neurologic deficits. Previous studies have suggested that bilirubin affects aspects of synaptic transmission; however the acute effects of bilirubin on synaptic transmission have not been examined in real-time. In this study, using whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings, we observed the effect of bilirubin on inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSC) in postnatal 13-15-day-old neurons dissociated from lateral superior olive nuclei (LSO), one of the brainstem auditory nucleus that are highly vulnerable to bilirubin. The results showed that 10(-5)M bilirubin increased the frequency of spontaneous IPSC without causing change in their amplitudes or in the response to bath applied glycine, suggesting a presynaptic locus for the action. In the presence of tetrodotoxin, the frequency of miniature IPSC was also potentiated by 10(-5)M bilirubin. The facilitation by bilirubin was concentration dependent and increased with an increase in exposure time. Bicuculline only partially reduced the action of bilirubin. The action of bilirubin was observed in extracellular Ca(2+)-free ([Ca(2+)](o) free) solution but was fully occluded by pretreatment with BAPTA-AM in [Ca(2+)](o) free solution. Thus, in LSO neurons, bilirubin facilitates inhibitory synaptic transmission, in a manner independent of voltage-activated Na(+) and Ca(2+) channels but dependent on presynaptic [Ca(2+)](i). The increase of inhibitory synaptic transmission in response to acute bilirubin is a novel effect of bilirubin on the central nervous system and may have implications for neurotoxicity and the impairment of auditory transduction seen in hyperbilirubinemia.

Glutamatergic calcium responses in the developing lateral superior olive: receptor types and their specific activation by synaptic activity patterns

The lateral superior olive (LSO) is a binaural auditory brain stem nucleus that plays a central role in sound localization. Survival and maturation of developing LSO neurons critically depend on intracellular calcium signaling. Here we investigated the mechanisms by which glutamatergic afferents from the cochlear nucleus increase intracellular calcium concentration in LSO neurons. Using fura-2 calcium imaging in slices prepared from neonatal mice, we found that cochlear nucleus afferents can activate all major classes of ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors, each of which contributes to an increase in intracellular calcium. The specific activation of different glutamate receptor classes was dependent on response amplitudes and afferent stimulus patterns. Low-amplitude responses elicited by single stimuli were entirely mediated by calcium-impermeable AMPA/kainate receptors that activated voltage-gated calcium channels. Larger-amplitude responses elicited by either single stimuli or stimulus trains resulted in additional calcium influx through N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors. Finally, high-frequency stimulation also recruited group I and group II metabotropic glutamate receptors, both of which mobilized intracellular calcium. This calcium release in turn activated a strong influx of extracellular calcium through a membrane calcium channel that is distinct from voltage-gated calcium channels. Together, these results indicate that before hearing onset, distinct patterns of afferent activity generate qualitatively distinct types of calcium responses, which likely serve in guiding different aspects of LSO development.

Origin of the binaural interaction component in wave P4 of the short-latency auditory evoked potentials in the cat: evaluation of serial depth recordings from the brainstem

There is no general agreement on the origin of the binaural interaction (BI) component in auditory brainstem responses (ABRs). To study this issue the ABRs to monaural and binaural clicks with various interaural time differences (ITDs) were simultaneously recorded from the vertex and from a recording electrode aiming at the superior olive (SO) in cats. Electrode path was along the fibers of the lateral lemniscus (LL). Binaural difference potentials (BDPs), which were computed by subtracting the sum of the two monaural responses from the binaural response, were obtained at systematic depths and across a range of ITD values. It was observed that only a specific BDP deflection recorded at the level at which lemniscal fibers terminate in the nuclei of LL coincided in time with the most prominent BDP in the cat's vertex-recorded ABRs, the BDP in their wave P4. As ITD was increased, the latency shifts and amplitude decrements of the scalp-recorded far-field BDP wave exactly followed those recorded at this lemniscal near-field BDP locus. The data support our hypothesis that the BI component in wave P4 results from a binaural reduction in dischargings of axons ascending in the LL, with this reduction due to contralateral inhibition of the discharge activity of the inhibitory-excitatory units in the lateral nucleus of the SO. Furthermore, at the level of the SO, the BDP in the responses to contra-leading binaural clicks always had larger magnitudes than those evoked by ipsi-leading ones. This bilateral asymmetry is consistent with the view that the BDP in scalp-recorded ABRs is related to the function of sound lateralization.

Mechanisms underlying the sensitivity of neurons in the lateral superior olive to interaural intensity differences

The initial processing of interaural intensity differences (IIDs), the major cue to the azimuthal location of high-frequency sounds in mammals, is carried out by neurons in the lateral superior olivary nucleus (LSO) that receive excitatory input from the ipsilateral ear and inhibitory input from the contralateral ear (IE neurons). The "latency" hypothesis asserts that it is the effects of intensity differences on the latency, and hence the relative timing, of the synaptic inputs to these neurons that is the basis of their sensitivity to IIDs, while other models assign the major role to changes in the relative amplitude of the inputs. To test the latency hypothesis and to determine the contributions of changes in the relative timing and amplitude of synaptic inputs to the IID sensitivity of LSO neurons, a method was developed of generating sets of stimuli that produced either the same changes in the relative timing of inputs without any change in their amplitude (equivalent interaural time difference stimuli) or the same differences in amplitude without any difference in timing (delay-cancelled IID stimuli) as a given range of IIDs. Data were obtained from a sample of IE neurons in the LSO of anesthetized rats using these stimulus paradigms and click and tone-burst stimuli. For click stimuli, the IID sensitivity of a small proportion of neurons was explained entirely by sensitivity to differences in input timing, but the sensitivity of most neurons reflected either sensitivity to the relative amplitude of inputs or to the joint operation of both factors. In neurons whose sensitivity was tested at a number of different absolute sound pressure levels (SPLs), the relative contributions of the two factors tended to differ at different SPLs. The IID sensitivity of onset responses to tone stimuli could be classified into the same three categories but was explained for a larger proportion of neurons by sensitivity to differences in input timing. The IID sensitivity of the late response component of neurons with sustained responses to tones in all cases reflected sensitivity to the relative amplitude of the inputs. The results confirm the contribution of changes in latency produced by intensity changes to the IID sensitivity of the onset responses of many IE neurons in LSO but require rejection of the strong form of the latency hypothesis, which asserts that this factor alone accounts for such sensitivity.

Development and influence of inhibition in the lateral superior olivary nucleus

While studies of neuronal development and plasticity have focused on excitatory pathways, the inhibitory projection from the MNTB to the LSO provides a favorable model for studies of synaptic inhibition. This review covers recent studies from our laboratories indicating that inhibitory connections are quite dynamic during development. These findings suggest that there are two phases inhibitory transmission. During an initial depolarizing phase is growth and branching of pre- and postsynaptic elements in the LSO. During a second hyperpolarizing phase there is refinement of inhibitory afferent arborizations and the LSO dendrites that they innervate.

Serotonergic modulation of synapses in the developing gerbil lateral superior olive

The lateral superior olive (LSO) is a primary site of binaural convergence that responds selectively to changes in interaural level difference (ILD) by integrating ipsilateral excitatory and contralateral inhibitory inputs. The circuit matures during the first three postnatal weeks, undergoing several structural and functional changes that are influenced by afferent activity. Therefore modulation of synaptic activity by neuromodulators may participate in the maturation of this circuit. The present study describes robust effects of serotonin (5-HT) on LSO synaptic function. Using whole cell voltage-clamp recording from gerbil LSO neurons (postnatal days 6-13) in an in vitro slice preparation, we have identified several distinct forms of serotonergic modulation of spontaneous and evoked synaptic transmission. First, 1-2 min application of 5-HT (100 microM) activated prolonged bursts of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs). However, there was an age-dependent decline, such that this effect rarely was observed beyond postnatal day 8. 5-HT apparently increased the excitability of inhibitory afferents, because 5-HT-induced IPSCs were blocked by tetrodotoxin. A second effect of 5-HT was to depress rapidly and profoundly the amplitude of electrically evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs). In contrast, 5-HT also depressed evoked IPSCs but to a significantly lesser degree. The receptor subtypes mediating these effects were examined using specific 5-HT agonists and antagonists. A 5-HT1 agonist, 5-carboxamidotryptamine, produced EPSC depression but did not induce spontaneous IPSCs. A 5-HT2 agonist, alpha-Me-5-HT, reproduced all the observed effects of 5-HT (PSC depression as well as induction of spontaneous IPSCs), whereas a 5-HT2 antagonist, ketanserin, blocked the induction of spontaneous IPSCs. Therefore induction of spontaneous IPSCs is mediated by 5-HT2 receptors, whereas both 5-HT1 and 5-HT2 receptor types contribute to PSC depression. Serotonergic modulation of LSO synapses may have consequences for both developmental plasticity and auditory function. Serotonergic induction of IPSCs was observed primarily in young animals and thus may represent a mechanism for amplifying the activity of inhibitory synapses in LSO during a period of use-dependent plasticity in postnatal development. PSC depression, which preferentially affects excitation, is a potential mechanism for modulation of ILD tuning.

Maps versus clusters: different representations of auditory space in the midbrain and forebrain

The auditory system determines the location of stimuli based on the evaluation of specific cues. The analysis begins in the tonotopic pathway, where these cues are processed in parallel, frequency-specific channels. This frequency-specific information is processed further in the midbrain and in the forebrain by specialized, space-processing pathways that integrate information across frequency channels, creating high-order neurons tuned to specific locations in space. Remarkably, the results of this integrative step are represented very differently in the midbrain and forebrain: in the midbrain, space is represented in maps, whereas, in the forebrain, space is represented in clusters of similarly tuned neurons. We propose that these different representations reflect the different roles that these two brain areas have in guiding behavior.

Discharge properties of single neurons in the dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus of the rat

The aim of the present study was to characterize the discharge properties of single neurons in the dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus (DNLL) of the rat. In the absence of acoustic stimulation, two types of spontaneous discharge patterns were observed: units tended to fire in a bursting or in a nonbursting mode. The distribution of units in the DNLL based on spontaneous firing rate followed a rostrocaudal gradient: units with high spontaneous rates were most commonly located in the rostral part of the DNLL, whereas in the caudal part units had lower spontaneous discharge rates. The most common response pattern of DNLL units to 200 ms binaural noise bursts contained a prominent onset response followed by a lower but steady-state response and an inhibitory response in the early-off period. Thresholds of response to noise bursts were on average higher for DNLL units than for units recorded in the inferior colliculus under the same experimental conditions. The DNLL units were arranged according to a mediolateral sensitivity gradient with the lowest threshold units in the most lateral part of the nucleus. In the rat, as in other mammals, the most common DNLL binaural input type was an excitatory response to contralateral ear stimulation and inhibitory response to ipsilateral ear stimulation (EI type). Pure tone bursts were in general a more effective stimulus compared to noise bursts. Best frequency (BF) was established for 97 DNLL units and plotted according to their spatial location. The DNLL exhibits a loose tonotopic organization, where there is a concentric pattern with high BF units located in the most dorsal and ventral parts of the DNLL and lower BF units in the middle part of the nucleus.

Glutamate receptors underlying excitatory synaptic transmission in the rat's lateral superior olive studied in vitro

Glutamate receptors underlying synaptic excitation in the rat's lateral superior olive were studied by whole-cell patch clamp recordings in a brain slice preparation. Recordings from two morphological types of cells, bipolar and multipolar, identified by intracellular labeling with biocytin, showed that there were no obvious differences in responses mediated or modulated by ionotropic and metabotropic receptors between these two types of neurons. The excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) elicited by ipsilateral stimulation of the trapezoid body consisted of two components. An earlier component, which had faster rise time constant and decay time constant, was mediated by non-NMDA receptors. A later component, which had slower rise time and decay time constants, was mediated by NMDA receptors. Suprathreshold responses (action potentials), which arose from the early component, were always abolished by the non-NMDA antagonist, CNQX, but not by the NMDA antagonist, APV. These results suggest that both non-NMDA and NMDA receptors are present in LSO neurons, and that fast excitatory transmission in LSO is primarily mediated by non-NMDA receptors. The metabotropic glutamate receptor agonists, t-ACPD and L-AP4, reduced the size of EPSPs evoked by stimulation of the ipsilateral trapezoid body in LSO neurons; the reductive action of t-ACPD was reversed by the antagonist, MCPG, indicating that metabotropic glutamate receptors, probably group II and III subtypes, can modulate excitatory synaptic transmission in LSO.

A developmental shift from GABAergic to glycinergic transmission in the central auditory system

GABAergic and glycinergic circuits are found throughout the auditory brainstem, and it is generally assumed that transmitter phenotype is established early in development. The present study documents a profound transition from GABAergic to glycinergic transmission in the gerbil lateral superior olive (LSO) during the first 2 postnatal weeks. Whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings were obtained from LSO neurons in a brain slice preparation, and IPSCs were evoked by electrical stimulation of the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB), a known glycinergic projection in adult animals. GABAergic and glycinergic components were identified by blocking transmission with bicuculline and strychnine (SN), respectively. In the medial limb of LSO, there was a dramatic change in the GABAergic IPSC component, decreasing from 78% at postnatal day 3 (P3)-P5 to 12% at P12-P16. There was an equal and opposite increase in the glycinergic component during this same period. Direct application of GABA also elicited significantly larger amplitude and longer duration responses in P3-P5 neurons compared with glycine-evoked responses. In contrast, MNTB-evoked IPSCs in lateral limb neurons were more sensitive to SN throughout development. Consistent with the electrophysiological observations, there was a reduction in staining for the beta2,3-GABAA receptor subunit from P4 to P14, whereas staining for the glycine receptor-associated protein gephyrin increased. Brief exposure to baclofen depressed transmission at excitatory and inhibitory synapses for approximately 15 min, suggesting a GABAB-mediated metabotropic signal. Collectively, these data demonstrate a striking switch from GABAergic to glycinergic transmission during postnatal development. Although GABA and glycine elicit similar postsynaptic ionotropic responses, our results raise the possibility that GABAergic transmission in neonates may play a developmental role distinct from that of glycine.

Single-neuron modeling of LSO unit responses

We investigated, using a computational model, the biophysical correlates of measured discharge patterns of lateral superior olive (LSO) neuron responses to monaural and binaural stimuli. The model's geometry was based on morphological data, and static electric properties of the model agree with available intracellular responses to hyperpolarizing current pulses. Inhibitory synapses were located on the soma and excitatory ones on the dendrites, which were modeled as passive cables. The active properties of the model were adjusted to agree with statistical measures derived from extracellular recordings. Calcium-dependent potassium channels supplemented the usual Hodgkin-Huxley characterization for the soma to produce observed serial interspike interval dependence characteristics. Intracellular calcium concentration is controlled by voltage- and calcium-dependent potassium channels and by calcium diffusion and homeostatic mechanisms. By adjusting the density of the calcium-dependent potassium channels, we could span the observed range of transient response patterns found in different LSO neurons. Inputs from the two ears were modeled as Poisson processes to describe the responses to tone-burst stimuli. Transient and sustained responses to monaural and binaural tone-burst stimuli over a wide range of stimulus conditions could be well described by varying only the model's inputs. As found in recordings, model responses having similar discharge rates but different binaural stimulus combinations exhibited differences in interval statistics.

Role of synaptic inhibition in processing of dynamic binaural level stimuli

We have recently discovered a paradoxical aftereffect associated with inhibition in the gerbil auditory midbrain. Single neurons in the inferior colliculus (IC) were assessed for sensitivity to a virtual motion stimulus produced by modulating the interaural level difference (ILD), a major cue for sound localization. The class of neuron studied was predominantly excited by contralateral stimulation and inhibited by ipsilateral stimulation. Sound pressure level was modulated trapezoidally at the ipsilateral "inhibitory" ear, whereas the contralateral "excitatory" level remained constant. When the inhibitory stimulus was decreased within a range of sound levels that maintained suppression under static conditions, an unexpected discharge was often elicited, apparently because of an aftereffect of synaptic inhibition. In contrast, when the inhibitory stimulus was increased within a range of sound levels that produced only modest suppression under static conditions, neuronal discharge was often profoundly suppressed. In many cases the "conditioned enhancement" or "conditioned suppression" persisted for several seconds after the modulation of ILD, and such conditioned responses were influenced by the modulation depth and rate. To test the effect of inhibition in the IC directly, glycine and GABA were pulsed from a glass recording pipette during a constant monaural excitatory stimulus. The acoustically elicited discharge rate was potentiated markedly if preceded immediately by the brief (0.5-10 sec) application of inhibitory transmitter. Collectively, these results revealed unusually long-lasting effects of inhibition that may establish a new range of acoustic cues to which the neuron responds best. This may have broad implications for processing ensuing auditory stimuli.

Envelope coding in the lateral superior olive. III. Comparison with afferent pathways

Binaural cues for spatial localization of complex high-frequency sounds are interaural level and time differences (ILDs and ITDs). We previously showed that cells in the lateral superior olive (LSO) are sensitive to ITDs in the envelope of sinusoidally amplitude-modulated (AM) signals up to a modulation frequency of only approximately 800 Hz. To understand the limitations in this ITD-sensitivity, we here compare responses to monaural modulation in LSO and its input pathways, derived from cochlear nucleus and medial nucleus of the trapezoid body. These pathways have marked functional and morphological specializations, suggestive of adaptations for timing. Afferent cell populations were identified on the basis of electrophysiological signatures, and for each population, average firing rate and synchronization to AM tones were compared with auditory-nerve fibers and LSO cells. Except for an increase in modulation gain in some subpopulations, synchronization of LSO afferents was very similar to that in auditory nerve fibers in its dependency on sound pressure level (SPL), modulation depth, and modulation frequency. Distributions of cutoff frequencies of modulation transfer functions were largely coextensive with the distribution in auditory nerve. Group delays, measured from the phase of the response modulation as a function of modulation frequency, showed an orderly dependence on characteristic frequency and cell type and little dependence on SPL. Similar responses were obtained to a modulated broadband carrier. Compared with their afferents, LSO cells synchronized to monaurally modulated stimuli with a higher gain but often over a narrower range of modulation frequencies. Considering the scatter in afferent and LSO cell populations, ipsi- and contralateral responses were well matched in cutoff frequency and magnitude of delays. In contrast to their afferents, LSO cells show a decrease in average firing rate at high modulation frequencies. We conclude that the restricted modulation frequency range over which LSO cells show ITD-sensitivity does not result from loss of envelope information along the afferent pathway but is due to convergence or postsynaptic effects at the level of the LSO. The faithful transmission of envelope phase-locking in LSO afferents is consistent with their physiological and morphological adaptations, but these adaptations are not commensurate with the rather small effects of physiological ITDs reported previously, especially when compared with effects of ILDs. We suggest that these adaptations have evolved to allow a comparison of instantaneous amplitude fluctuations at the two ears rather than to extract interaural timing information per se.

Interaural delay-dependent changes in the binaural difference potential in cat auditory brainstem response: implications about the origin of the binaural interaction component

Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) evoked by dichotic clicks with 12 different interaural delays (ITDs) between 0 and 1500 microsecond(s) were recorded from the vertices of 10 cats under ketamine anesthesia. The so-called binaural difference potential (BDP), considered to be an indicator of binaural interaction (BI), was computed by subtracting the sum of the two monaural responses from the binaural one. The earliest and most prominent component of BDP was a negative deflection (DN1) at a latency between 4 and 4.8 ms. Like all the other components of BDP, DNI was also due to binaural reduction rather than enhancement of the corresponding ABR wave, P4 in this case. Furthermore, the way its latency increased as a function of ITD was also not compatible with what would be predicted by the delay-line coincidence detector models based on the excitatory-excitatory units in the medial superior olive (MSO). We therefore proposed an alternative hypothesis for the origin of this BI component based on the inhibitory-excitatory (IE) units in the lateral superior olive (LSO). The computational model designed closely simulated the ITD-dependent attenuation and latency shifts observed in DN1. It was therefore concluded that the origin of this BI component in the cat's vertex-ABR could be the lateral lemniscal output of the LSO, although the delay lines which have been shown to exist also in the mammalian brain may play an important role in encoding ITDs.

Excitatory and inhibitory response adaptation in the superior olive complex affects binaural acoustic processing

Short-term adaptation was examined in single unit recordings from 113 superior olive neurons of anaesthetized 3- to 6-month-old Long-Evans rats. Responses to an equal intensity BF probe tone presented 1 ms after an 'adapting' BF tone were adapted by 56.3 +/- 2.6% (mean +/- S.E.) compared to responses at a 512 ms delay. The rapid decrease in discharge rate during adapting tones often approximated exponential time courses with time constants of less than 20 ms. The recovery from adaptation was exponential with time constants of 106 +/- 20.0 ms. The magnitude of adaptation and time course of recovery following monaural stimulation of binaurally excited (EE) neurons were not significantly different in both input pathways. Additionally, in 60% of EE neurons, an 'adapting' tone presented to one ear reduced subsequent responses to probe tones presented to the opposite ear. Binaural stimulation resulted in equal or greater adaptation of responses than monaural stimulation of either ear. The recovery of binaural excitatory responses generally followed a time course between recovery functions for ipsilateral and contralateral monaural stimuli. Lateral Superior Olive (LSO) neurons encode sound source location through the interaction of ipsilateral excitation and contralateral inhibition (IE). Ipsilaterally driven excitatory responses in LSO neurons exhibited the greatest magnitude of adaptation (68.5 +/- 21.1%). Adaptation of inhibition was observed in over half of IE neurons. Responses of LSO neurons to binaural BF probe stimuli were greatest immediately after a 200 ms BF 'inhibitory adapting' stimulus to the contralateral ear, and decreased with greater interstimulus delays. Responses to binaural stimulation were constant after prior binaural adaptation, when the magnitude and recovery of adaptation to monaural stimuli were similar for excitation and inhibition (8/25 IE cells). The functional significance and possible sites of adaptation processes are discussed.

Organization of ventrolateral periolivary cells of the cat superior olive as revealed by PEP-19 immunocytochemistry and Nissl stain

Ventrolateral periolivary cell groups, through their descending projections to the cochlear nucleus (CN) and local projections to principal nuclei of the superior olive, may participate in brainstem mechanisms mediating such tasks as signal detection in noisy environments and sound localization. Understanding the function of these cell groups can be improved by increased knowledge of the organization of their synaptic inputs in relation to their cellular characteristics. Immunocytochemistry for PEP-19 (a putative calcium binding protein) reveals four patterns of immunolabeling within the ventrolateral periolivary region. Three of the patterns, which have distinct fiber and punctate labeling characteristics, help to define three subdivisions of the lateral nucleus of the trapezoid body (LNTB). The fourth pattern defines two other nuclei, the anterolateral periolivary nucleus (rostral) and the posterior periolivary nucleus (caudal), which display many immunoreactive cell bodies but little fiber and punctate labeling. One of the subdivisions of the LNTB contains large PEP-19 immunolabeled puncta arranged in pericellular nests. Analysis of Nissl-stained sections reveals a neuronal population that resembles globular cells of the ventral cochlear nucleus (VCN) and which colocalizes with pericellular nests of large immunolabeled puncta. Cell counts reveal that roughly 10,000 neurons constitute the cat ventrolateral periolivary region, 9,000 of which are found in the LNTB. Three-dimensional reconstructions of auditory brainstem nuclei clarify the complex spatial relationships among these structures.

Representation of interaural level difference in the VLVp, the first site of binaural comparison in the barn owl's auditory system

In the avian auditory system, the posterior division of the ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus (VLVp) is the first site where the levels of sound arriving at the two ears are compared. VLVp units are excited by sound at the contralateral ear and are inhibited by sound at the ipsilateral ear, and, as a result, are sensitive to interaural level differences (ILD). In this study, we investigate the functional properties of VLVp units and describe the topography of ILD sensitivity along the dorsoventral dimension of this nucleus. The responses of VLVp units were tested with monaural and binaural noise delivered through earphones. Excitatory and inhibitory responsiveness was quantified using several measures that assessed the effect of contra-ear stimulation and the effect of ipsi-ear stimulation on the contra-ear response. On the basis of these measures, we characterize the map of ILD sensitivity in the VLVp. The temporal pattern of unit responses were also analyzed. The discharges of VLVp units were regular and time-locked to the onset of a stimulus, a pattern of discharge reminiscent of the 'chopper pattern' observed in the lateral superior olive (LSO) of mammals. The temporal discharge patterns of a single VLVp neuron often distinguished between equivalent ILDs, resulting from different combinations of contra- and ipsi-ear levels, that were not distinguished by spike count alone. However, the temporal response pattern did not distinguish between all such combinations of contra- and ipsi-ear levels. The additional information was encoded by the pattern of activity across the entire population of VLVp neurons. This study describes similarities in the functional properties of VLVp and LSO units that suggest similar physiological mechanisms in avians and mammals for encoding similar acoustic information.

Response properties in young and old Fischer-344 rat lateral superior olive neurons: a quantitative approach

Significant age-related functional deficits may result from a selective loss of inhibitory processing in the lateral superior olivary (LSO) nucleus. To test this hypothesis, methods were developed for quantitative comparisons of the excitation evoked by ipsilateral acoustic stimuli and the inhibition evoked by contralateral acoustic stimuli in neurons recorded from this binaural structure. Data were obtained from 103 LSO neurons from 22 young adult (3-6 month) and 70 LSO neurons from 14 old (20-23 month) Fischer-344 (F-344) rats. Age-related increases in the thresholds of auditory brainstem responses as well as in the inhibitory and excitatory responses of LSO neurons were observed. Spike-discharge rates were analyzed using multiple regression analysis for interaural intensity data and by calculating correlation coefficients between excitatory and inhibitory isointensity curves. Most LSO principal cells exhibited ipsilateral excitation and contralateral inhibition of similar strength for similar stimuli. Inhibitory and excitatory response areas of these neurons were similar based on visual inspection and correlation coefficients. No statistically significant age-related changes were observed for (a) rate-level functions generated by ipsilateral or contralateral stimuli; (b) maximal discharge rate; (c) conduction latencies; or (d) measures of binaural function. However, a small percentage of LSO neurons both in young and old rats displayed "unmatched" inhibitory and excitatory response areas. Quantitative methods developed in this study are used to examine age-related changes in binaural function in the inferior colliculus of F-344 rats and in the LSO of the Sprague-Dawley rat. Although no asymmetrical aging changes were observed for the F-344 rat LSO, there appear to be significant differences between the aging auditory system in the F-344 and Sprague-Dawley rats. Age-related changes have been previously described for the F-344 in other brainstem auditory structures.

Topographical gradient in expression of R2D5 antigen in superior olivary nuclei and hippocampal dentate gyrus of the cat

An immunohistochemical analysis of the cat central nervous system revealed that a monoclonal antibody which recognizes a soluble cytosolic protein, R2D5, bound two regions in a prominent spatial gradient. In the medial and lateral superior olivary nuclei of the brainstem, R2D5 immunoreactivity appeared as a gradient across a population of topographically ordered principal neurons. The spatial gradient corresponded to the tonotopic organization in the superior olivary nuclei: i.e., R2D5 immunoreactivity tended to occur more frequently and intensely in low-frequency neurons than in high-frequency neurons. Granule cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus also had a pronounced spatial gradient in R2D5 immunoreactivity expression, and this gradient corresponded to the septotemporal axis of the hippocampus. Granule cells of the temporal (ventral) portions of the hippocampus were labeled intensely with R2D5 antibody, while those located in progressively more septal (dorsal) portions had gradually less immunoreactivity. These results suggest that in both the superior olivary nuclei and the hippocampal dentate gyrus, neurons differ in intrinsic properties by their position along specific axes. They suggest also that the hippocampus has an intrinsic functional organization related to the spatial gradient along its septotemporal axis.

Neural mechanisms of directional hearing in the pigeon

The directional sensitivity of single auditory neurons in the midbrain (Nucleus mesencephalicus lateralis pars dorsalis) of the pigeon (Columba livia) was studied, using acoustic free-field stimulation (usually pure tones) in the frontal hemifield. Of a total of 337 units, 84.6% showed statistically significant changes of their responses as a function of sound azimuth. Of these, most units respond maximally to sounds in a particular azimuthal range, each has its "best area". These neurons were classified into four classes according to the properties of their best areas: (1) contralateral neurons (53.4%); (2) ipsilateral neurons (6.2%); (3) frontal neurons (18.1%); and (4) complex neurons (3.3%). The first two showed only one border of the best area within the frontal hemifield, with an increase of response strength towards the contralateral and the ipsilateral side, respectively; with frontal neurons, the best area was bounded towards both sides within the frontal hemifield, whereas the complex neurons had two or more separated best areas or extensive frontal inhibitory areas. In the remaining units (3.6%), termed weakly directional neurons, changes of their discharge rate depending on sound azimuth were statistically significant, but too poor to determine any best areas. There was a significant under-representation of best frequencies in the mid-frequency range (1-2 kHz) with a minimum in the relative number of MLD neurons recorded from at 2 kHz. However, the directional sensitivity of the neurons quantified by analysing different parameters of the directional diagrams (dynamic range, roll-off steepness, best area width) was undiminished in the mid-frequency range. In several experiments, in addition to the neurons' directional sensitivity in free-field sound, their sensitivity to interaural ongoing time (phase) differences (OTDs) and interaural intensity differences (IIDs) were also tested, using dichotic stimulation (pure tones) by headphones. Directional sensitive neurons tuned to low frequencies (best frequency less than 2 kHz) were either sensitive exclusively to OTDs or to both OTDs and IIDs; the ranges of best OTDs were correlated significantly with the azimuthal position of the best area. "High frequency" units (best frequency greater than 2 kHz) were sensitive to IIDs but not to OTDs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Calbindin D-28K immunoreactivity in the cat's superior olivary complex

The calcium binding protein, calbindin D-28K (CaBP), was identified immunohistochemically in the cat's superior olivary nuclei. Intense somatic labeling was observed in the medial and lateral nucleus of the trapezoid body. The lateral superior olive contained dense, perisomatic, terminal bouton labeling surrounding unlabeled somata, while the medial superior olive exhibited the least amount of labeling, comprised only of a few fiber fragments.

Non-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors may mediate ipsilateral excitation at lateral superior olivary synapses

Principal cells of the lateral superior olivary nucleus (LSO) are thought to receive a direct excitatory input from spherical bushy cells located in the ipsilateral ventral cochlear nucleus (VCN) and an indirect input from the contralateral VCN globular bushy cells via a secure synapse in the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB). MNTB bushy cells project to the somata and proximal dendrites of LSO principal cells. LSO neurons display phasic 'chopper' temporal response patterns to ipsilateral tone-burst stimuli at characteristic frequency (CF), while binaural stimuli suppress this ipsilaterally evoked activity. This suppression is sensitive to interaural differences in intensity, phase and time, suggesting a role for these neurons in the localization of sound in space. In the present study, the nature of the neurotransmitter mediating fast ipsilateral excitation of LSO neurons was examined using iontophoretic application of excitant amino acid (EAA) agonists and antagonists. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and quisqualate (QUIS) were used as agonists, while the selective NMDA receptor antagonist D. L-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV), and the non-selective receptor EAA antagonist cis-2,3-piperidine-dicarboxylic acid (PDA) were used to study ipsilaterally evoked neuronal responses. In 3 additional experiments the selective non-NMDA receptor antagonist 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (DNQX) replaced PDA. Ipsilateral, tone-evoked and spontaneous activities were generally enhanced by EAA agonists while partial blockade of tone-evoked, ipsilateral excitation was observed with EAA antagonists. Both PDA and DNQX more effectively blocked ipsilateral tone-evoked excitations and spontaneous activity than did the NMDA-receptor antagonist, APV.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

GABA and glycine immunoreactivity in the guinea pig superior olivary complex

Immunoperoxidase immunocytochemistry was employed to examine the distribution of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-and glycine (GLY)-immunoreactive cells, fibers, and terminals in the guinea pig superior olivary complex. The nuclei studied were the lateral superior olive (LSO), medial superior olive (MSO), superior paraolivary nucleus (SPN), and the medial, ventral, and lateral nuclei of the trapezoid body (MNTB, VNTB, and LNTB, respectively). The majority of LSO neurons exhibited GABA-immunoreactive (+) labeling. These same neurons were also lightly GLY+. Extensive perisomatic punctate GLY + labeling was observed on most LSO neurons; these puncta most likely correspond to synaptic terminals. A very small number of MSO fusiform neurons were GABA +, and none were GLY +. The GLY positive perisomatic punctate labeling around most MSO neurons, although abundant, was not as profuse as that observed in the LSO. The MNTB neurons corresponding to the principal and elongate types were intensely GLY + and were contacted by small numbers of GLY + puncta. There was extensive GLY + punctate labeling in the SPN that surrounded the cell bodies of most of its large, radiate neurons and many of the smaller, fusiform neurons. The few large, radiate neurons that were lightly GLY + possessed far fewer GLY + puncta on their perikarya. The distribution of GABA + puncta was generally diffuse and scattered throughout the nuclei described above. In the VNTB and LNTB, several large neurons of various shapes were GLY + as were the small, oval neurons. The extent of GLY + punctate labeling was quite variable in both nuclei. The majority of perikarya in the VNTB and LNTB were GABA +. A light distribution of GABA + puncta was observed on most cell bodies in both nuclei. Peridendritic GABA + punctate labeling was dense in the VNTB neuropil. Two small populations of GLY + neurons were observed outside of the named nuclei of the SOC; one was located dorsal to the LSO, near its dorsal hilus, and the other was identified near the medial pole of the LSO. The somata of both populations possessed extremely sparse GLY + punctate labeling. In general, these results agree with and expand on findings in rodents from previous studies. There appears, however, to be differences between the guinea pig and cat with regard to the proportions of GABA + neurons in the LSO and GLY + punctate labeling in the MSO.

Synaptic potentials of chinchilla lateral superior olivary neurons

Neurons in the lateral superior olive (LSO) were characterized in vivo, by extracellular and intracellular recordings. Principal neurons of the LSO are excited by ipsilateral auditory stimuli and exhibit binaural inhibition, as observed in extracellular recordings. In subsequent intracellular recordings, ipsilateral acoustic stimuli evoked robust excitatory postsynaptic potentials (epsps), while contralateral stimuli evoked large inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (ipsps). The contralaterally evoked ipsps were reversed when the cell was polarized below resting membrane potential and when current was injected into neurons recorded with chloride-filled electrodes. The ipsp is probably a reflection of contralaterally evoked release of glycine acting through glycinergic receptors on the somata and proximal dendrites of these neurons. The properties of the epsps are consistent with data suggesting that ipsilaterally evoked excitation may be mediated by an excitatory amino acid-like substance acting through quisqualate or kainate receptors at dendritic locations.

Morphological features of five neuronal classes in the gerbil lateral superior olive

Five morphologically distinct classes of neurons can be identified within the neuropil of the gerbil lateral superior olivary nucleus (LSO) by using a variety of histological techniques and electron microscopy. The physical features of these five classes resemble those found in the cat LSO and are identified, by using criteria and nomenclature established for the cat, as principal neurons, multiplanar neurons, marginal neurons, small neurons, and class 5 neurons. Principal cells compose approximately 75% of the total LSO neuronal population. They possess a discoid dendritic organization and are oriented rostrocaudally, perpendicular to the transverse curvatures of the LSO. Roughly 8% of the LSO population is composed of multiplanar neurons, whose dendritic fields are not restricted to any single plane of section. Both principal and multiplanar neurons share similar cytoplasmic features, and greater than 65% of their perikaryal surface is in contact with synaptic terminals. Small neurons compose approximately 11% of the LSO neurons, have the lowest percentage of their somal surface contacted by synaptic terminals (approximately 8%), and are found mostly in the middle/medial portions of the LSO. Marginal neurons, which compose approximately 6% of the LSO population, appear similar to principal neurons at the light microscopic level except that they are found along the contours of the LSO, oriented orthogonal to principal neurons. Approximately 28% of the somal surface of marginal neurons is in contact with synaptic terminals. The class 5 neuronal somata receive a similar number of axosomatic synaptic contacts as marginal neurons (approximately 31%) but are found well within the matrix of the LSO, aligned parallel to principal neurons. Class 5 neurons share the same light microscopic features as principal neurons and can be identified electron microscopically based only on the reduced percentage of somal surface occupied by synaptic terminals.

Morphological evidence for the existence of multiple neuronal classes in the cat lateral superior olivary nucleus

This study characterizes morphologically the neurons residing within the matrix of the cat lateral superior olive (LSO), excluding the hili and myelinated axon envelope. Several light microscopic techniques including Golgi impregnations, Nissl stains, and acetylcholinesterase histochemistry were used, as well as electron microscopy. Five distinct classes of neurons have been identified: principal neurons, multiplanar neurons, marginal neurons, small neurons, and class 5 neurons. These neuronal classes differ in regard to their size and shape, dendritic organization, perikaryal synaptic density, and their relative numbers. Principal neurons compose approximately three-quarters of the LSO neurons. They are multipolar and uniplanar in their dendritic arborization, radiating from the hili in rostrocaudal planes perpendicular to the curvatures of the LSO. In transverse sections the principal cell perikarya are fusiform and bipolar, with mean dimensions of 23 X 11 microns. More than 60% of the surface of these cells is contacted by synaptic terminals. Multiplanar neurons (averaging 23 X 19 microns) compose only 11% of the LSO neuronal population. Their dendritic arborization is not restricted to any particular plane, and their somal surface receives synaptic contacts similar, in number and type, to principal cells. Marginal neurons, although they are similar to principal neurons in shape and dendritic arborization, differ in that they are generally smaller (averaging 20 X 10.5 microns). They also possess fewer axosomatic synaptic contacts (approximately 33%), are oriented perpendicularly to principal neurons, are limited in distribution to the contours of the LSO immediately beneath the myelinated axon envelope, and constitute only 4% of the neuronal population. Small neurons (mean dimensions = 9 X 8 micron) compose 8% of the LSO neurons. They possess a multiplanar array of primary dendrites and have nuclei with multiple deep infoldings. Small neurons have the fewest axosomatic synaptic contacts of all classes of LSO neurons (approximately 10%). Additionally, there are neurons that are similar to principal neurons, but receive fewer axosomatic contacts (approximately 33%). These cells have been tentatively identified as class 5 neurons until more information on this type allows for the assignment of a more descriptive name. A number of acetylcholinesterase-positive neurons are also found within the LSO, whose relationship to the other classes of neurons is presently unresolved. Possible functions of the multiple neuronal types are discussed.

Application of a point process model to responses of cat lateral superior olive units to ipsilateral tones

A general point process theory is developed to describe discharges recorded from lateral superior olivary units of the cat responding to ipsilaterally presented tone bursts and continuous tones. Statistical analysis of the stationary portion of the sequence of interspike intervals demonstrated that, for most units, the duration of each interval is statistically dependent only on the duration of the previous interval. A specific point process model is derived based on this analysis to describe the measured serial dependence as well as the deadtimes observed in interval histograms. The statistical dependence is well described as a shift of the interspike interval distribution, the shift depending on the duration of the previous interval. This model is then used to simulate the initial chopping in the tone burst responses. It is concluded that chopping responses and serial dependence do not result from properties of the unit's inputs; rather, they are consequences of the inherent characteristics of the unit.

The fine structure of the lateral superior olivary nucleus of the cat

The synaptic organization of the lateral superior olivary nucleus of the cat was analyzed under the electron microscope. The predominant cell type, the fusiform cell, has dendrites that extend from opposite poles of the cell body toward the margins of the nucleus, where they terminate in spinous branches. The fusiform cells are contacted by three types of synaptic terminals that can be distinguished by the size and shape of their synaptic vesicles. The somatic and proximal dendritic surfaces are apposed by synaptic terminals containing small, flat synaptic vesicles. Further from the cell body, the dendrites form numerous synaptic contacts with terminals containing large round vesicles as well as with the terminals containing small, flat vesicles. The most distal dendritic branches and their spiny appendages appear to form synapses almost exclusively with the terminals with large, round vesicles. A relatively rare type of terminal that contains small, round vesicles may form synapses with either the somatic or dendritic surfaces. A few small cells are interspersed among the fusiform cells, but they are more commonly located around the margins of the nucleus. The small cells form few axosomatic contacts. The simplest interpretation of the findings is that the terminals with small, flat vesicles arise in the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body and are inhibitory in function, whereas the terminals with large, round vesicles arise in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus and are excitatory; however, this remains to be demonstrated experimentally. In any case, the differential distribution of these two types of inputs on the somatic and dendritic surfaces must be an important determinant of the physiological response properties of the fusiform cells to binaural acoustic stimuli.

Measurement of frequency selectivity of single neurons in the central auditory pathway

A large sample of threshold tuning curves of single units from various levels of the auditory pathway was used in order to examine the relationship between best frequency and a measure of sharpness of tuning. This measure is simply the tuning curve bandwidth at 20 dB above threshold on a square-root scale of frequency. The transformation was found to be largely independent of unit best frequency, suggesting that it is suitable for comparing sharpness of tuning between samples. No difference in sharpness of tuning was found between samples of units from nuclei in the lemniscal auditory pathway, although units from the anterior auditory field showed broader tuning than those in the lemniscal pathway.