Abstract
In the mammalian cochlea, primary fibers to inner hair cells synapse with one or a very few receptors, and thereby innervate only a restricted region, or point, on the basilar partition. In contrast, VIIIth nerve fibers innervating outer hair cells course toward the basal (high frequency) portion of the cochlea and then synapse with a number of receptors over a finite length of the basilar membrane. Because of these unique patterns of distribution, it seems possible that the two major afferent populations might respond differently to identical stimuli, if appropriate parameters are selected. In order to determine if these anatomical distinctions are reflected by physiological differences under a defined set of stimulus conditions, we have recorded the responses of a population of VIIIth nerve fibers in the cat utilizing a two‐tone stimulus paradigm. In these experiments, f1 was placed at the fiber's characteristic frequency (CF), and a higher frequency f2 was systematically changed to explore in and aroun...
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