Forward masking estimated by signal detection theory analysis of neuronal responses in primary auditory cortex

Alves-Pinto, A, Baudoux, S, Palmer, AR and Sumner, CJ ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2573-7418, 2010. Forward masking estimated by signal detection theory analysis of neuronal responses in primary auditory cortex. JARO: Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, 11 (3), pp. 477-494. ISSN 1525-3961

Preview

Text 13548_Sumner.pdf - Post-print Download (863kB) | Preview

Abstract

Psychophysical forward masking is an increase in threshold of detection of a sound (probe) when it is preceded by another sound (masker). This is reminiscent of the reduction in neuronal responses to a sound following prior stimulation. Studies in the auditory nerve and cochlear nucleus using signal detection theory techniques to derive neuronal thresholds showed that in centrally projecting neurons, increases in masked thresholds were significantly smaller than the changes measured psychophysically. Larger threshold shifts have been reported in the inferior colliculus of awake marmoset. The present study investigated the magnitude of forward masking in primary auditory cortical neurons of anaesthetised guinea-pigs. Responses of cortical neurons to unmasked and forward masked tones were measured and probe detection thresholds estimated using signal detection theory methods. Threshold shifts were larger than in the auditory nerve, cochlear nucleus and inferior colliculus. The larger threshold shifts suggest that central, and probably cortical, processes contribute to forward masking. However, although methodological differences make comparisons difficult, the threshold shifts in cortical neurons were, in contrast to subcortical nuclei, actually larger than those observed psychophysically. Masking was largely attributable to a reduction in the responses to the probe, rather than either a persistence of the masker responses or an increase in the variability of probe responses.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	JARO: Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology
Creators:	Alves-Pinto, A., Baudoux, S., Palmer, A.R. and Sumner, C.J.
Publisher:	Springer US for the Association for Research in Otolaryngology
Date:	September 2010
Volume:	11
Number:	3
ISSN:	1525-3961
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1007/s10162-010-0215-6 DOI 215 Publisher Item Identifier
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	Jill Tomkinson
Date Added:	13 Mar 2019 10:14
Last Modified:	13 Mar 2019 10:14
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/35981

Actions (login required)

Edit View

Statistics

Views

Downloads