Auditory physiology and anatomy of octavolateral efferent neurons in a teleost fish

Seth M Tomchik; Zhongmin Lu

doi:10.1007/s00359-005-0050-0

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Auditory physiology and anatomy of octavolateral efferent neurons in a teleost fish

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Auditory physiology and anatomy of octavolateral efferent neurons in a teleost fish

Seth M Tomchik and Zhongmin Lu

Journal of comparative physiology. A, Neuroethology, sensory, neural, and behavioral physiology, Vol.192(1), pp.51-67

01/2006

DOI: 10.1007/s00359-005-0050-0

PMID: 16180037

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Abstract

Vertebrate hair cell systems receive innervation from efferent neurons in the brain. Here we report the responses of octavolateral efferent neurons that innervate the inner ear and lateral lines in a teleost fish, Dormitator latifrons, to directional linear accelerations, and compare them with the afferent responses from the saccule, the main auditory organ in the inner ear of this species. Efferent neurons responded to acoustic stimuli, but had significantly different response properties than saccular afferents. The efferents produced uniform, omnidirectional responses with no phase-locking. Evoked spike rates increased monotonically with stimulus intensity. Efferents were more broadly tuned and responsive to lower frequencies than saccular afferents, and efferent modulation of the otolithic organs and lateral lines is likely more pronounced at lower frequencies. The efferents had wide dynamic ranges, shallow rate-level function slopes, and low maximum discharge rates. These findings support the role of the efferent innervation of the otolithic organs as part of a general arousal system that modulates overall sensitivity of the peripheral octavolateral organs. In addition, efferent feedback may help unmask biologically relevant directional stimuli, such as those emitted by a predator, prey, or conspecific, by reducing sensitivity of the auditory system to omnidirectional ambient noise.

Acoustic Stimulation

Action Potentials

Animals

Auditory Pathways - physiology

Axons - physiology

Ear, Inner - anatomy & histology

Ear, Inner - innervation

Ear, Inner - physiology

Evoked Potentials, Auditory

Microscopy, Fluorescence

Neurons, Afferent - cytology

Neurons, Afferent - physiology

Neurons, Efferent - cytology

Neurons, Efferent - physiology

Perciformes - anatomy & histology

Perciformes - physiology

Time Factors

Details

Title: Subtitle: Auditory physiology and anatomy of octavolateral efferent neurons in a teleost fish
Creators: Seth M Tomchik - University of Miami
Zhongmin Lu - University of Miami
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of comparative physiology. A, Neuroethology, sensory, neural, and behavioral physiology, Vol.192(1), pp.51-67
DOI: 10.1007/s00359-005-0050-0
PMID: 16180037
NLM abbreviation: J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol
ISSN: 0340-7594
eISSN: 1432-1351
Grant note: R01DC03275 / NIDCD NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 01/2006
Academic Unit: Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Neuroscience and Pharmacology
Record Identifier: 9984303746902771

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12 Times Cited - Web of Science