Abstract
Previous studies have shown that frequency tuning curves (FTCs) of auditory neurons in the inferior colliculus (IC) are composed of an excitatory area that is either neighbored by an inhibitory area on one flank or is sandwiched by two inhibitory areas. Neurons that are responsible for excitatory and inhibitory areas are likely neighboring neurons. Whereas this neural lateral inhibition sharpens frequency tuning and provides a means to reduce ambiguity in encoding frequency at high stimulus intensities, neurons with two-flank lateral inhibitory areas have larger Qn values and smaller excitatory areas than neurons with one-flank inhibitory areas. The closer the inhibitory area is to the excitatory area, the sharper the frequency tuning becomes. The Qn values of IC neurons tend to increase with the ratio of inhibitory area to excitatory area. Application of bicuculline and/or strychnine broadens FTCs of many IC neurons and completely or partially abolishes the inhibitory areas. Corticofugal pathways sharpen the FTC by narrowing the excitotory area and broadening the lateral inhibitory areas. [Work supported by NSF.]
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