Response profiles of auditory cortical neurons to tones and noise in behaving macaque monkeys

The primate auditory cortex is anatomically divided into several areas, but little is known about the functional differences between these areas. Similarly, although neurons in sub-cortical auditory areas of other species have been classified into distinct categories, these criteria have not been applied in primates. This study measured the responses of single neurons in the primary auditory cortex (AI) and the caudomedial field (CM) to tones and noise. Most neurons could be qualitatively classified as onset, sustained, or sustained-onset, but never as primary (VIII nerve)-like or chopper. Quantitative analysis showed a continuum of response types, from having only onset responses to responding throughout the stimulus period. AI neurons had higher firing rates that CM neurons, but CM neurons had higher firing rates to noise stimuli compared to tone stimuli, and a greater percentage of CM neurons had excitatory responses after stimulus offset. There were no differences in the percentage of neurons that had tonic or inhibitory responses. These results indicate that the responses of neurons in the primate auditory cortex are better described as a continuum rather than as discrete classes, and provide further evidence that auditory information is processed in series between AI and CM in the primate.