RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Spatial Irregularities of Sensitivity along the Organ of Corti of the Cochlea
JF The Journal of Neuroscience
JO J. Neurosci.
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP 11349
OP 11354
DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2558-13.2014
VO 34
IS 34
A1 Andrei N. Temchin
A1 Mario A. Ruggero
YR 2014
UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/34/34/11349.abstract
AB Fine structures of spatial profiles were computed from existing records of cat and chinchilla auditory-nerve fibers on the basis of their characteristic frequencies and cochlear maps. The spatial fine structures of characteristic-frequency thresholds and of “spontaneous” and driven firing rates were mutually correlated, implying the presence of sensitivity fluctuations due to spatial irregularities of presynaptic structures or processes of the inner hair cells and their input. These findings suggest that activity that appears spontaneous is not actually spontaneous and may indicate irregularities of tonotopic mapping in cochlear mechanics.