Skip to main content
Log in

Unit responses of the auditory cortex of waking cats at rest and after defensive conditioning

  • Published:
Neurophysiology Aims and scope

Abstract

In chronic experiments with glass microelectrodes responses of 288 spontaneously active neurons in the auditory cortex were investigated in cats at rest (123 neurons) and after defensive conditioning to sound (165 neurons). In the first situation 43% of neurons did not respond to acoustic stimulation. Most (about 60%) responses of the reacting neurons showed marked inhibition. Conditioning caused an increase (up to 72%) in the number of neurons responding to acoustic stimulation, the appearance of tonic responses, a severalfold increase in the amplitude of the responses, an increase in the number of responses of activation type, and stabilization of their form. The results point to increased excitability of neurons in this cortical area.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature cited

  1. N. N. Vasilevskii, Neuronal Mechanisms of the Cerebral Hemispheres [in Russian], Meditsina, Leningrad (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  2. U. G. Gasanov, Internal Inhibition [in Russian], Nauka, Moscow (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  3. H. H. Jasper, G. F. Ricci, and B. Doane, "Microelectrode analysis of cortical neuronal discharges during conditioned responses in monkeys," in: Electroencephalographic Investigation of Higher Nervous Activity [Russian translation], Izd. AN SSSR, Moscow (1962), pp. 129–145.

    Google Scholar 

  4. V. N. Dumenko and V. V. Sachenko, "Spontaneous activity of auditory cortical neurons of waking cats at rest and during defensive conditioning," Neirofiziologiya,10, 227 (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  5. B. I. Kotlyar, Mechanisms of Formation of Temporary Connections [in Russian], Moscow University Press, Moscow (1977).

    Google Scholar 

  6. M. N. Livanov, "Neurokinetics," in: Recent Problems in Neurophysiology [in Russian], Nauka, Moscow (1965), pp. 37–73.

    Google Scholar 

  7. E. A. Polonskaya and M. Ya. Rabinovich, "Conditioned responses of auditory cortical neurons," Zh. Vyssh. Nerv. Deyat.,21, 988 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  8. E. A. Polonskaya and M. Ya. Rabinovich, "Dynamics of latent periods of conditioned responses of motor and auditory cortical neurons," in: Abstracts of Proceedings of the 25th Conference on Higher Nervous Activity, Leningrad, September 26–29, 1977 [in Russian], Nauka, Leningrad (1977), p. 179.

    Google Scholar 

  9. F. N. Serkov, Electrophysiology of Higher Levels of the Auditory System [in Russian], Naukova Dumka, Kiev (1977).

    Google Scholar 

  10. E. N. Sokolov, "Neuronal mechanisms of ‘habituation’ as the simplest form of conditioned reflex," Zh. Vyssh. Nerv. Deyat.,15, 240 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  11. V. B. Shvyrkov, "Comparative characteristics of anticipatory and unconditioned excitation in the rabbit somatosensory cortex during conditioning," Zh. Vyssh. Nerv. Deyat.,19, 3 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  12. G. I. Shul'gina, "Dynamics of neuronal responses during defensive conditioning," in: Investigation of the Organization of Cortical Unit Activity [in Russian], Nauka, Moscow (1971), pp. 81–106.

    Google Scholar 

  13. O. Buresova and J. Bures, "Classical conditioning and reticular units," Acta Physiol. Acad. Sci. Hung.,26, 54 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  14. I. M. Miller, D. Sutton, B. Pringst, A. Ryan, and R. Beaton, "Single cell activity in the auditory cortex of Rhesus monkeys: behavioral dependency," Science,177, 449 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Additional information

A. A. Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 25–34, January–February, 1979.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dumenko, V.N., Sachenko, V.V. Unit responses of the auditory cortex of waking cats at rest and after defensive conditioning. Neurophysiology 11, 17–23 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01072770

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01072770

Keywords

Navigation