Olivocochlear efferent control in sound localization and experience-dependent learning

Irving, S, Moore, DR, Liberman, MC and Sumner, CJ ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2573-7418, 2011. Olivocochlear efferent control in sound localization and experience-dependent learning. Journal of Neuroscience, 31 (7), pp. 2493-2501. ISSN 0270-6474

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Abstract

Efferent auditory pathways have been implicated in sound localization and its plasticity. We examined the role of the olivocochlear system (OC) in horizontal sound localization by the ferret and in localization learning following unilateral earplugging. Under anesthesia, adult ferrets underwent olivocochlear bundle section at the floor of the fourth ventricle, either at the midline or laterally (left). Lesioned and control animals were trained to localize 1 s and 40 ms amplitude-roved broadband noise stimuli from one of 12 loudspeakers. Neither type of lesion affected normal localization accuracy. All ferrets then received a left earplug and were tested and trained over 10 d. The plug profoundly disrupted localization. Ferrets in the control and lateral lesion groups improved significantly during subsequent training on the 1 s stimulus. No improvement (learning) occurred in the midline lesion group. Markedly poorer performance and failure to learn was observed with the 40 ms stimulus in all groups. Plug removal resulted in a rapid resumption of normal localization in all animals. Insertion of a subsequent plug in the right ear produced similar results to left earplugging. Learning in the lateral lesion group was independent of the side of the lesion relative to the earplug. Lesions in all reported cases were verified histologically. The results suggest the OC system is not needed for accurate localization, but that it is involved in relearning localization during unilateral conductive hearing loss.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Journal of Neuroscience
Creators:	Irving, S., Moore, D.R., Liberman, M.C. and Sumner, C.J.
Publisher:	Society for Neuroscience
Date:	16 February 2011
Volume:	31
Number:	7
ISSN:	0270-6474
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1523/jneurosci.2679-10.2011 DOI
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	Jonathan Gallacher
Date Added:	13 Mar 2019 11:25
Last Modified:	13 Mar 2019 11:25
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/35986

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