Inhibitory mechanisms shaping delay-tuned combination-sensitivity in the auditory cortex and thalamus of the mustached bat

Abstract

Delay-tuned auditory neurons of the mustached bat show facilitative responses to a combination of signal elements of a biosonar pulse-echo pair with a specific echo delay. The subcollicular nuclei produce latency-constant phasic on-responding neurons, and the inferior colliculus produces delay-tuned combination-sensitive neurons, designated “FM-FM” neurons. The combination-sensitivity is a facilitated response to the coincidence of the excitatory rebound following glycinergic inhibition to the pulse (1st harmonic) and the short-latency response to the echo (2nd–4th harmonics). The facilitative response of thalamic FM-FM neurons is mediated by glutamate receptors (NMDA and non-NMDA receptors). Different from collicular FM-FM neurons, thalamic ones respond more selectively to pulse-echo pairs than individual signal elements. A number of differences in response properties between collicular and thalamic or cortical FM-FM neurons have been reported. However, differences between thalamic and cortical FM-FM neurons have remained to be studied. Here, we report that GABAergic inhibition controls the duration of burst of spikes of facilitative responses of thalamic FM-FM neurons and sharpens the delay tuning of cortical ones. That is, intra-cortical inhibition sharpens the delay tuning of cortical FM-FM neurons that is potentially broad because of divergent/convergent thalamo-cortical projections. Compared with thalamic neurons, cortical ones tend to show sharper delay tuning, longer response duration, and larger facilitation index. However, those differences are statistically insignificant.