The proposed project is a comparative study of mammalian hearing with emphasis on sound localization. The long-range goals are to determine the ecological, morphological, and physiological correlates of the variation in hearing and sound localization abilities of mammals. The immediate aim is to examine the auditory abilities of species selected because a knowledge of their abilities would help answer questions concerning the evolutionary, anatomical, and physiological bases of hearing. The immediate goals of this project are to a) determine the hearing abilities of three species of fossorial rodents (mountain beaver, naked mole rat, and prairie dog), b) investigate the relationship between sound localization acuity and vision, c) compare the ability of mammals with mobile and nonmobile pinnae in localizing sounds in the lateral fields. d) investigate the relation between sound localization and brainstem morphology by performing preliminary histological analyses of the superior olivary complex of species whose localization ability has been determined, e) investigate the effect of albinism on binaural functions by determining the auditory abilities of albino cats, and f) determining the hearing and/or sound localization abilities of two species of interest to auditory research: the spiny mouse and chinchilla. The ultimate goal of this project is to gain information which would he of use in understanding the function of the human central auditory system. Of immediate relevance to human health is the proposed study of albino cats which is expected to provide information concerning the consequences of albinism to hearing.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01NS017850-07
Application #
3564459
Study Section
Hearing Research Study Section (HAR)
Project Start
1987-09-01
Project End
1993-08-31
Budget Start
1988-09-01
Budget End
1989-08-31
Support Year
7
Fiscal Year
1988
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Toledo
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Toledo
State
OH
Country
United States
Zip Code
43606
Heffner, R S; Heffner, H E (1991) Behavioral hearing range of the chinchilla. Hear Res 52:13-6
Hood, L J; Berlin, C I; Heffner, R S et al. (1991) Objective auditory threshold estimation using sine-wave derived responses. Hear Res 55:109-16
Heffner, R S; Heffner, H E (1990) Vestigial hearing in a fossorial mammal, the pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius). Hear Res 46:239-52
Heffner, R S; Heffner, H E (1989) Sound localization, use of binaural cues and the superior olivary complex in pigs. Brain Behav Evol 33:248-58
Heffner, R S; Heffner, H E (1988) Sound localization and use of binaural cues by the gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). Behav Neurosci 102:422-8
Heffner, R S; Heffner, H E (1988) Sound localization in a predatory rodent, the northern grasshopper mouse (Onychomys leucogaster). J Comp Psychol 102:66-71
Heffner, R S; Heffner, H E (1988) Sound localization acuity in the cat: effect of azimuth, signal duration, and test procedure. Hear Res 36:221-32
Heffner, R S; Heffner, H E (1987) Localization of noise, use of binaural cues, and a description of the superior olivary complex in the smallest carnivore, the least weasel (Mustela nivalis). Behav Neurosci 101:701-8, 744-5
Heffner, R S; Heffner, H E (1986) Localization of tones by horses: use of binaural cues and the role of the superior olivary complex. Behav Neurosci 100:93-103
Heffner, H E; Heffner, R S (1985) Hearing in two cricetid rodents: wood rat (Neotoma floridana) and grasshopper mouse (Onychomys leucogaster). J Comp Psychol 99:275-88

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