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The acoustic cricothyroid response in the rat
The Journal of Auditory Research
|January 1, 1983
Summary
The cricothyroid muscle (CTM) in rats responds to sound frequencies, particularly below 15 kc/s. While acoustically responsive, its exact role in controlling vocal pitch remains unclear.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Bioacoustics
- Animal Communication
Background:
- The cricothyroid muscle (CTM) is known to influence vocal pitch in bats.
- Understanding the function of the CTM in other mammals, like rats, can provide comparative insights into vocal control mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the acoustic responsiveness of the cricothyroid muscle (CTM) in rats.
- To determine the frequency range and response patterns of CTM electromyograms (EMG) to auditory stimuli.
Main Methods:
- Electromyograms (EMG) were recorded from the CTM of 12 lightly-anesthetized adult rats.
- Rats were exposed to pure tones ranging from 2-80 kHz at 100 dB SPL for 5 seconds.
- Response patterns, including firing rate by frequency and response latency, were analyzed.
Main Results:
- The CTM showed the greatest electromyogram (EMG) response at frequencies below 15 kHz.
- This peak response frequency is lower than the presumed region of greatest auditory sensitivity in rats (30-40 kHz).
- Response latencies were measured at 830 msec at each rat's best frequency.
Conclusions:
- The cricothyroid muscle (CTM) in rats is acoustically responsive to sound stimuli.
- The functional significance of this acoustic responsiveness in controlling rat vocal pitch requires further investigation.
- Findings suggest potential differences in CTM function or auditory processing between rats and bats.