The effect of auditory stimulus rate on [14C]2-deoxyglucose uptake in rabbit inferior colliculus

The relationship between auditory stimulus rate and level of [14C]2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) uptake was examined using the 2-DG technique developed by Sokoloff as an indication of glucose uptake and neural activity. Conscious restrained albino rabbits were given one monaural tone either once per second or once per minute for 45 min, or served as unstimulated controls. Autoradiographs of the inferior colliculi from these animals were compared densitometrically. It was found that the rabbits stimulated once per second had markedly elevated levels of 2-DG uptake compared to both other groups: the rabbits stimulated once per minute and to unstimulated control rabbits. In addition, the inferior colliculus autoradiographs of the rabbits stimulated with pure tones showed a distinctive banding pattern in central nucleus different from that seen in control rabbits.