Abstract

Interaural time differences (ITDs) are a dominant cue for the perception for auditory space. New hypotheses concerning the mechanism of ITD sensitivity and its representations have been developed based on recordings from each level of the auditory system in an unanesthetized preparation. For this study, I intend to test this hypotheses through recordings and connectional studies in the auditory cortex.
The specific aims are to: 1) identify the topography of ITD representation in the primary auditory cortex in relation to parameters that determine ITD tuning in individual neurons, 2) determine the distribution of response properties in different cortical layers, and 3) study the flow of ITD information from primary cortex to other areas. My long-term goal is to understand the performance of this major sensory system in terms of the physiological responses of single neurons and neural populations, and test this understanding against behavior. The expected health benefits include the development of devices, software, or prostheses that use the principles discovered to assist hearing-impaired individuals.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DC003948-06
Application #
6627888
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-IFCN-6 (01))
Program Officer
Luethke, Lynn E
Project Start
1999-02-01
Project End
2005-01-31
Budget Start
2003-02-01
Budget End
2005-01-31
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$196,607
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Department
Otolaryngology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
608195277
City
Chapel Hill
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27599

  Publications

Fitzpatrick, Douglas C; Roberts, Jason M; Kuwada, Shigeyuki et al. (2009) Processing temporal modulations in binaural and monaural auditory stimuli by neurons in the inferior colliculus and auditory cortex. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 10:579-93
Ebert Jr, Charles S; Blanks, Deidra A; Patel, Mihir R et al. (2008) Behavioral sensitivity to interaural time differences in the rabbit. Hear Res 235:134-42
Marshall, Allen F; Pearson, James M; Falk, Stephanie E et al. (2008) Auditory response properties of neurons in the tectal longitudinal column of the rat. Hear Res 244:35-44
Blanks, Deidra A; Roberts, Jason M; Buss, Emily et al. (2007) Neural and behavioral sensitivity to interaural time differences using amplitude modulated tones with mismatched carrier frequencies. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 8:393-408
Pearson, James M; Crocker, William D; Fitzpatrick, Douglas C (2007) Connections of functional areas in the mustached bat's auditory cortex with the auditory thalamus. J Comp Neurol 500:401-18
Kuwada, Shigeyuki; Fitzpatrick, Douglas C; Batra, Ranjan et al. (2006) Sensitivity to interaural time differences in the dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus of the unanesthetized rabbit: comparison with other structures. J Neurophysiol 95:1309-22
Batra, Ranjan; Fitzpatrick, Douglas C (2002) Monaural and binaural processing in the ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus: a major source of inhibition to the inferior colliculus. Hear Res 168:90-7
Fitzpatrick, Douglas C; Kuwada, Shigeyuki; Batra, Ranjan (2002) Transformations in processing interaural time differences between the superior olivary complex and inferior colliculus: beyond the Jeffress model. Hear Res 168:79-89
Fitzpatrick, D C; Kuwada, S (2001) Tuning to interaural time differences across frequency. J Neurosci 21:4844-51
Fitzpatrick, D C; Kuwada, S; Batra, R (2000) Neural sensitivity to interaural time differences: beyond the Jeffress model. J Neurosci 20:1605-15

Showing the most recent 10 out of 11 publications