Signals and noise in the elasmobranch electrosensory system

Abstract

Analyzing signal and noise for any sensory system requires an appreciation of the biological and physical milieu of the animal. Behavioral studies show that elasmobranchs use their electrosensory systems extensively for prey detection, but also for mate recognition and possibly for navigation. These biologically important signals are detected against a background of self-generated bioelectric fields. Noise-suppression mechanisms can be recognized at a number of different levels: behavior, receptor anatomy and physiology, and at the early stages of sensory processing. The peripheral filters and receptor characteristics provide a detector with permissive temporal properties but restrictive spatial characteristics. Biologically important signals probably cover the range from direct current to 10 Hz, whereas the bandwidth of the receptors is more like 0.1-10 Hz. This degree of alternating current coupling overcomes significant noise problems while still allowing the animal to detect external direct current signals by its own movement. Self-generated bioelectric fields modulated by breathing movement have similar temporal characteristics to important external signals and produce very strong modulation of electrosensory afferents. This sensory reafference is essentially similar, or common-mode, across all afferent fibers. The principal electrosensory neurons (ascending efferent neurons; AENs) of the dorsal octavolateralis nucleus show a greatly reduced response to common-mode signals. This suppression is mediated by the balanced excitatory and inhibitory components of their spatial receptive fields. The receptive field characteristics of AENs determine the information extracted from external stimuli for further central processing.