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Subcortical auditory model including efferent dynamic gain control with inputs from cochlear nucleus and inferior
Afagh Farhadi1, Skyler G Jennings2, Elizabeth A Strickland3
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14642, USA.
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|December 5, 2023
Summary
This study introduces a new auditory model incorporating the efferent system to control cochlear gain. The model accurately simulates neural responses to amplitude-modulated noise, offering insights into auditory processing mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Computational Auditory Neuroscience
- Bioacoustics
Background:
- The efferent auditory system, particularly the medial olivocochlear (MOC) pathway, plays a crucial role in modulating cochlear sensitivity and processing auditory information.
- Subcortical neural pathways, including the inferior colliculus (IC) and cochlear nucleus, are integral to auditory signal processing and efferent feedback.
- Understanding the dynamic interplay between efferent control and neural responses is essential for deciphering complex auditory mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a computational auditory model that incorporates a time-varying, gain-control signal based on the physiology of the efferent system.
- To investigate the role of the medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferent stage in dynamically controlling cochlear gain through simulated outer hair cells.
- To simulate and analyze the responses of auditory neurons to amplitude-modulated (AM) noise, particularly focusing on the influence of efferent feedback on neural firing rates.
Main Methods:
- Development of a computational auditory model featuring an efferent stage with gain-control capabilities.
- Integration of excitatory projections from inferior colliculus (IC) and cochlear nucleus model neurons to the MOC efferent stage.
- Simulation of MOC stage responses to dynamically control cochlear gain via modeled outer hair cells.
- Testing the model's response to amplitude-modulated (AM) noise and comparing it with physiological data from awake rabbits.
Main Results:
- The model successfully simulated the increasing firing rates of IC neurons in response to AM noise, consistent with MOC efferent feedback dynamics observed in awake rabbits.
- Model parameters for the efferent stage were adjusted based on experimental data of IC neuron rate changes.
- The proposed model with efferent gain control demonstrated the ability to replicate the temporal dynamics of neural responses, unlike a model without the efferent system.
Conclusions:
- The developed auditory model with efferent gain control effectively simulates key aspects of auditory processing, particularly the influence of the efferent system.
- This model serves as a valuable tool for hypothesis testing and gaining deeper insights into the mechanisms of hearing, especially the role of the efferent system.
- The findings underscore the importance of efferent feedback in shaping neural responses within the auditory pathway.
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