Plastic Change in the Auditory Minimum Threshold Induced by Intercollicular Effects in Mice.

Hui-Xian Mei,Jia Tang,Liang Cheng,Zi-Ying Fu,Qi-Cai Chen

doi:10.1155/2016/4195391

Hui-Xian Mei, Jia Tang + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/4195391

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Abstract

In the auditory pathway, the commissure of the inferior colliculus (IC) interconnects the two ICs on both sides of the dorsal midbrain. This interconnection could mediate an interaction between the two ICs during sound signal processing. The intercollicular effects evoked by focal electric stimulation for 30 min could inhibit or facilitate auditory responses and induce plastic changes in the response minimum threshold (MT) of IC neurons. Changes in MT are dependent on the best frequency (BF) and MT difference. The MT shift is larger in IC neurons with BF differences ≤2 kHz than in those with BF differences >2 kHz. Moreover, MTs that shift toward electrically stimulated IC neurons increase with the increasing MT difference between the two ICs. The shift in MT lasts for a certain period of time and then returns to previous levels within ~150 min. The collicular interactions are either reciprocal or unilateral under alternate stimulating and recording conditions in both ICs. Our results suggest that intercollicular effects may be involved in the acoustic experience-dependent plasticity of the MT of IC neurons.

Highlights

Auditory representation of the central auditory system in adult animals can be functionally reorganized when the acoustic environment is dramatically altered with relevant behaviors or through activation of the neuromodulation system [1,2,3]
We further explore the role of intercollicular effects via CoIC on the functional plasticity of the amplitude domain of inferior colliculus (IC) neurons by auditory conditioning that acoustic stimulation paired by 30 min of IC focal electrical stimulation
Intercollicular Effects Activated by ICES Focal Electrical Stimulation

Summary

Introduction

Auditory representation of the central auditory system in adult animals can be functionally reorganized when the acoustic environment is dramatically altered with relevant behaviors or through activation of the neuromodulation system [1,2,3]. The IC receives input from the auditory cortex (AC) through the descending auditory pathway [4, 5]. These corticofugal projections are believed to play an important role in the information processing and functional plasticity of the IC [6]. Corticofugal modulation studies on the IC show that the IC frequency map can be changed by repetitive acoustic stimulation, auditory conditioning, or focal cortical electric stimulation [7]. The best frequency (BF) shift in the IC usually increases when the acoustic stimulation is made behaviorally relevant by pairing with electrical stimulation [8]

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