Effects of bilateral lesions of auditory cortex in mice on the acoustic startle response

The acoustic startle response (ASR) was used to investigate the effects of auditory cortical lesions on a brain stem-mediated auditory behavior. The ASRs were obtained longitudinally from young adult C57BL/6J mice before bilateral ablation of auditory cortex, 1 day after ablation, and 1 month later. Control mice received lesions of nonauditory cortex. For some mice, averaged brain stem-evoked responses (ABR) were obtained, and these indicated no effects of lesions on auditory sensitivity. One month after surgery, mice with auditory cortex ablations were statistically indistinguishable from controls on all suprathreshold measures of ASR. However, 1 day after ablation of auditory cortex, experimental animals (but not controls) exhibited a change in ASR amplitude (but not threshold or latency). When a noise burst of 80 dB SPL was used to elicit the ASR, the amplitude was diminished, but with a 110 dB stimulus, amplitude was enhanced. The findings can be interpreted in one of two ways: temporary interference with modulation of the ASR normally performed by auditory cortex; or a general effect of auditory cortex ablation on brain stem auditory circuits not specific to the ASR. In any event, if auditory cortex plays a modulatory role with regard to the ASR, it is apparently nonessential and/or readily compensated for after ablation.