[Mauration of unitary responses to tonal stimulation in the cochlear nerve of the kitten]

The maturation of single auditory nerve fiber responses to long-duration (500 ms) tone-bursts was studied in kittens at various stages after birth. Spike discharges were examined as a function of three criteria. 10 Latency. Mean value of the "on" peak latency was about 25 ms at 1 to 3 days after birth. It then regressed, reaching 8 to 12 ms at the end of the first week, and 2 to 4 ms at 20 days. 20 Peristimulus histograms (PSTH). Evolution of PSTH revealed the characteristic sequence of unit reactivity to long duration stimuli (i.e. on, rhythmic, and continuous responses). Rhythmic responses is assumed up to now to be related to the immaturity of synaptic junctions below the hair cells. 30 interval histograms. The interspike interval histograms of the discharges showed a similar evolution. A bimodal distribution corresponding to the rhythmic mode of reactivity, appeared at the end of the first week.