A functional map of the pigeon basilar papilla: correlation of the properties of single auditory nerve fibres and their peripheral origin

doi:10.1016/0378-5955(95)00214-6

Hearing Research

Volume 92, Issues 1–2, December 1995, Pages 151-169

https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-5955(95)00214-6 Get rights and content

Abstract

The purpose of the investigation was to correlate the functional properties of primary auditory fibres with the location of appertaining receptor cells in the avian basilar papilla.

The functional properties of 425 single afferent fibres from the auditory nerve of adult pigeons were measured. The peripheral innervation site of 39 fibres was identified by intracellular labelling and correlated with the fibre's functional properties.

Mean spontaneous firing rate (SR, 0.1–250/s) was distributed monomodally (mean: 91 ± 47/s) but not normally. Characteristics frequencies (CFs) were in the range of 0.02–4 kHz. SR, threshold at CF (4–76 dB SPL) and sharpness of tuning (Q_{10 dB}, 0.1–8.8) varied systematically with CF. For a given CF there was a strong correlation of threshold and Q_{10 dB} and of threshold and SR.

Labelled fibres innervated different hair cell types over 93% of the length and 97% of the width of the basilar papilla. The majority of fibres innervated hair cells located between 30 and 70% distance from the apex and 0 and 30% distance from the neural edge of the papilla.

CFs are mapped tonotopically from high at the base to low at the apex of the papilla, with a mean mapping constant of 0.63 ± 0.05 mm/octave (in vivo). The highest CF at the base extrapolates to 5.98 ± 1.17 kHz. The lowest CF mapped at the apex is 0.021 kHz. From the data, together with data from mechanical measurements (Gummer et al., 1987), a frequency-place function of the pigeon papilla was calculated.

Tranverse gradients of threshold at CF and of Q_{10 dB} were observed across the width of the papilla. Thresholds were lowest and sharpness of tuning was highest above the neural limbus at a distance of 23% from the neural edge of the papilla. Hair cells in this sensitive strip are the tallest and narrowest ones across the width of the papilla. They are packed most densely and receive the largest number of afferent fibres. Fibres innervating (mostly short) hair cells on the free basilar membrane were spontaneously active and responsive to sound. Their Q_{10 dB} was less than average but their sensitivity and SR were comparable to the mean population values.

It is concluded that functional properties change gradually not only along the length but also across the width of the pigeon basilar papilla. The results support the idea that sharp frequency tuning of avian primary auditory fibres involves tuning mechanisms supplementary to the tuning of the free part of the basilar membrane.

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Research paperA functional map of the pigeon basilar papilla: correlation of the properties of single auditory nerve fibres and their peripheral origin

Abstract

Neuroscience

Brain Res.

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Hear. Res.

Hear. Res.

Prog. Brain Res.

Hear. Res.

Hear. Res.

Hear. Res.

Hear. Res.

Hear. Res.

Hear. Res.

Hear. Res.

Hear. Res.

Hear. Res.

Hear. Res.

Brain Res.

Hear. Res.

Hear. Res.

Hear. Res.

Adv. Biosci.

J. Ultrastruct. Res.

Hear. Res.

Hear. Res.

A fast motile response in guinea pig outer hair cells: the cellular basis of the cochlear amplifier

J. Physiol. (Lond.)

The electrophysiology of hair cells

Annu. Rev. Physiol.

Eighth nerve fiber firing features in normal-hearing rabbits

Hear. Res.

Evoked mechanical responses of isolated cochlear outer hair cells

Science

Auditory hair cells: structure, function, development, and regeneration

Annu. Rev. Neurosci.

Hair cell regeneration in the bird cochlea following noise damage or ototoxic drug damage

Anat. Embryol.

An electrical tuning mechanism in turtle cochlear hair cells

J. Physiol. (Lond.)

The active cochlea

J. Neurosci.

Auditory nerve fibre activity in the Tokay Gecko. I. Implications for cochlear processing

J. Comp. Physiol.

The frequency response and other properties of single fibres in the guinea-pig cochlear nerve

J. Physiol. (Lond.)

General pattern and morphological specializations of the avian cochlea

Scan. Microsc.

Electrical tuning in hair cells isolated from the chick cochlea

J. Neurosci.

Auditory primary afferents in the starling: correlation of function and morphology

Hear. Res.

Quantitative morphological analysis of the sensory epithelium of the starling and pigeon basilar papilla

Hear. Res.

The phase response of primary auditory afferents in a songbirg (Sturnus vulgaris L.)

Hear. Res.

Research paper
A functional map of the pigeon basilar papilla: correlation of the properties of single auditory nerve fibres and their peripheral origin