Journal of Comparative Physiology A

, Volume 201, Issue 5, pp 485–503 | Cite as

Species-specificity of temporal processing in the auditory midbrain of gray treefrogs: interval-counting neurons

  • Gary J. Rose
  • Jessica L. Hanson
  • Christopher J. Leary
  • Jalina A. Graham
  • Rishi K. Alluri
  • Gustavo A. Vasquez-Opazo
Original Paper
First Online:
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:

Abstract

Interval-counting neurons (ICNs) respond after a threshold number of sound pulses have occurred with specific intervals; a single aberrant interval can reset the counting process. Female gray treefrogs, Hyla chrysoscelis and H. versicolor, discriminate against synthetic ‘calls’ possessing a single interpulse interval 2–3 three times the optimal value, suggesting that ICNs are important for call recognition. The calls of H. versicolor consist of pulses that are longer in duration, rise more slowly in amplitude and are repeated at a slower rate than those of H. chrysoscelis. Results of recordings from midbrain auditory neurons in these species include: (1) ICNs were found in both species and their temporal selectivity appeared to result from interplay between excitation and inhibition; (2) band-pass cells in H. versicolor were tuned to slower pulse rates than those in H. chrysoscelis; (3) ICNs that were selective for slow-rise pulse shape were found almost exclusively in H. versicolor, but fast-rise-selective neurons were found in both species, and (4) band-suppression ICNs in H. versicolor showed response minima at higher pulse rates than those in H. chrysoscelis. Selectivity of midbrain ICNs for pulse rise time and repetition rate thus correlate well with discriminatory abilities of these species that promote reproductive isolation.

Keywords

Whole-cell recording Anurans Rise-time selectivity Amplitude modulation Inferior colliculus 

Abbreviations

ICN

Interval-counting neuron

ICanuran

Anuran inferior colliculus

AM

Amplitude modulation

SAM

Sinusoidal amplitude modulation

SPL

Sound pressure level in decibels (dB), re 2 × 10−5 N/m2

EPSP

Excitatory postsynaptic potential

IPSP

Inhibitory postsynaptic potential

BEF

Best excitatory frequency

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Notes

Acknowledgments

We thank H.C. Gerhardt, J. Schwartz and their colleagues for providing the animals used in this study. We also thank Stephen Odom and Caleb Herrick for assisting in experiments and data processing. This work was supported by a grant from NIDCD.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015

Authors and Affiliations

  • Gary J. Rose
    • 1
  • Jessica L. Hanson
    • 1
  • Christopher J. Leary
    • 1
    • 2
  • Jalina A. Graham
    • 1
  • Rishi K. Alluri
    • 1
  • Gustavo A. Vasquez-Opazo
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of BiologyUniversity of UtahSalt Lake CityUSA
  2. 2.University of MississippiOxfordUSA

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