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Frequency and intensity difference limens and nonlinearities in the ear of the housemouse (Mus musculus)

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Summary

  1. 1.

    Frequency and intensity difference limens were determined for the housemouse (Mus musculus, outbred strain NMRI) between 1 kHz and 80 kHz and for sound pressure levels (SPLs) between 15 dB and 100 dB re. 0.0002 dyn/cm2.

  2. 2.

    The frequency difference limens (Δf s ) decrease linearly with increasing SPL. The slopes (a) of the regression lines are frequency dependent (¦a¦=p·/tfq;p andq are constants) with ¦a¦ being maximal at 15 kHz. An intensity independent level of the smallest noticeable frequency differenceΔf m is reached at a definite SPL (L Δfm ) which is always 60 dB above the absolute hearing threshold (L HS ) at each frequency tested (L Δfm -LHS=const.). The relative frequency difference limenΔf m /f was nearly constant and equal to 0.85%.

  3. 3.

    The intensity difference limens (ΔL s ) decrease with increasing SPL. The interdependence can be approximated by a linear or a power function (ΔL s =−0.05·SL+7;ΔL s =0.04· SL+120·SL−1; SL=sensation level). The difference limens (ΔL s ) are frequency dependent (ΔL s =d·f e·SL) at low sensation levels. The equationΔI=g·I 0.95 (I=sound intensity) shows a near miss of Weber's law. The relative averaged difference limen (ΔL s /SL) amounts to 6.7% at 60 dB SL.

  4. 4.

    The results agree well with a model of a spectrum-excitation-transformation on the basilar membrane (Maiwald, 1967). In addition, a new frequency dependent nonlinearity of the mammalian ear is defined. It influences frequency and intensity discrimination in the same manner and can be expressed in a power function of the frequency summarized in the proportion:Δf∼ΔL s ∼f z·L.

  5. 5.

    Comparative aspects of difference limens in man and other mammals are discussed.

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Author notes

  1. Günter Ehret

    Present address: Fachbereich Biologie, Universität Konstanz, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fachbereich Biologie (Zoologie) der Technischen Hochschule, Darmstadt, Germany

    Günter Ehret

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  1. Günter Ehret
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Additional information

With support of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, grant to Prof. Dr. H. Markl (Ma 374/2 and 741,29-3), whom I wish to thank for his advice and critical discussions.

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Ehret, G. Frequency and intensity difference limens and nonlinearities in the ear of the housemouse (Mus musculus). J. Comp. Physiol. 102, 321–336 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01464344

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01464344

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