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The acoustic role of tracheal chambers and nasal cavities in the production of sonar pulses by the horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus hildebrandti.

The acoustic role of the enlarged, bony, nasal cavities and rigid tracheal chambers in the horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus hildebrandti (Fig. 2) was investigated by determining the effect of their selective filling on the nasally emitted sonar pulse and on the sound traveling backwards down the trachea. Normal sonar signals of this bat contain a long constant frequency component with most energy in the second harmonic at about 48 kHz. The fundamental is typically suppressed 20 to 30 dB below the level of the second harmonic (Fig. 1). None of the experimental manipulations described affected the frequency of the sonar signal fundamental. Filling the dorsal and both lateral tracheal chambers had little effect on the emitted vocalization, but caused the level of the fundamental component in the trachea to increase 15 to 19 dB in most bats (Table 2). When only the dorsal chamber or only the two lateral chambers were filled, the effect was less striking and more variable (Tables 3 and 4), suggesting that the tracheal fundamental is normally suppressed by acoustic interaction between these three cavities. Filling the enlarged dorsal nasal cavities had no effect on the tracheal sound. The effect of this treatment on the nasally emitted sonar pulse was inconsistent. Sometimes the fundamental increased 10 to 12 dB, other times the intensity of all harmonics decreased; in still other cases the second, third or fourth harmonic increased, but the fundamental remained unchanged (Tables 5, 6, and 7). When bats were forced to vocalize through the mouth, by sealing the nostrils, there was a prominent increase in the level of the emitted fundamental (10 to 21 dB) and in the fourth harmonic (6 to 17 dB). In one instance there was also a significant increase in the level of the third harmonic (Tables 8 and 9). The supraglottal tract thus filters the fundamental from the nasally emitted sonar signal, although the role of the inflated nasal cavities in this process is unclear. We conclude that a high glottal impedance acoustically isolates the subglottal from the supraglottal vocal tract. The tracheal chambers do not affect the emitted sonar signal, but may attenuate the fundamental in the trachea and prevent it from being reflected from the lungs back towards the cochlea. It may be important to prevent the reflected fundamental from stimulating the cochlea, via tissue conduction, along multiple indirect pathways which would temporally smear cochlear stimulation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Directional hearing in the barn owl (Tyto alba).

The acoustical properties of the external ear of the barn owl (Tyto alba) were studied by measuring sound pressure in the ear canal and outer ear cavity. Under normal conditions, pressure amplification by the external ear reaches about 20 dB between 3-9 kHz but decreases sharply above 10 kHz. The acoustic gain curve of the outer ear cavity alone is close to that of a finite-length exponential horn between 1.2-13 kHz with maximum gain reaching 20 dB between 5-9 kHz. Pressure gain by the facial ruff produces a maximum of 12 dB between 5-8 kHz and decreases rapidly above 9 kHz. The directional sensitivity of the external ear was obtained from pressure measurements in the ear canal. Directivity of the major lobe is explained, to a first approximation, by the sound diffraction properties of a circular aperture. Aperture size is based on the average radius (30 mm) of the open face of the ruff. Above 5 kHz, the external ear becomes highly directional and there is a 26 degree disparity in elevation between the acoustic axis of the left and right ear. In azimuth, directivity patterns are relocated closer to the midline as frequency increases and the acoustic axis moves at a rate of 20 degree/octave between 2-13 kHz. Movement of the axis can be explained, to a first approximation, by the acoustical diffraction properties of an obliquely truncated horn, due to the asymmetrical shape of the outer ear cavity. The directional sensitivity of the barn owl ear was studied by recording cochlear microphonic (CM) potentials from the round window membrane. Between 3-9 kHz, CM directivity patterns are clearly different to the directivity patterns of the external ear; CM directionality is abruptly lost above 10 kHz. Above 5 kHz, CM directivity patterns are characterized by an elongated major lobe containing the CM axis, forming a tilted band of high amplitude but low directionality (CM axial plane), closely bordered by minima or nulls. The highest directionality is found in the CM directional plane, approximately perpendicular to the CM axial plane. The left and right ear axial planes are symmetrical about the interaural midline (tilted 12 degrees to the right of the midline of the head) and inclined by an average of 60 degrees to the left and right respectively. In azimuth, the CM axis moves towards the midline at a rate of 37 degrees/octave as frequency increases from 2-9 kHz, crossing into contralateral space near 7 kHz.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Acoustic Stimulation↗

Frequency and space representation in the primary auditory cortex of the frequency modulating bat Eptesicus fuscus.

1. Frequency and space representation in the auditory cortex of the big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus, were studied by recording responses of 223 neurons to acoustic stimuli presented in the bat's frontal auditory space. 2. The majority of the auditory cortical neurons were recorded at a depth of less than 500 microns with a response latency between 8 and 20 ms. They generally discharged phasically and had nonmonotonic intensity-rate functions. The minimum threshold, (MT) of these neurons was between 8 and 82 dB sound pressure level (SPL). Half of the cortical neurons showed spontaneous activity. All 55 threshold curves are V-shaped and can be described as broad, intermediate, or narrow. 3. Auditory cortical neurons are tonotopically organized along the anteroposterior axis of the auditory cortex. High-frequency-sensitive neurons are located anteriorly and low-frequency-sensitive neurons posteriorly. An overwhelming majority of neurons were sensitive to a frequency range between 30 and 75 kHz. 4. When a sound was delivered from the response center of a neuron on the bat's frontal auditory space, the neuron had its lowest MT. When the stimulus amplitude was increased above the MT, the neuron responded to sound delivered within a defined spatial area. The response center was not always at the geometric center of the spatial response area. The latter also expanded with stimulus amplitude. High-frequency-sensitive neurons tended to have smaller spatial response areas than low-frequency-sensitive neurons. 5. Response centers of all 223 neurons were located between 0 degrees and 50 degrees in azimuth, 2 degrees up and 25 degrees down in elevation of the contralateral frontal auditory space. Response centers of auditory cortical neurons tended to move toward the midline and slightly downward with increasing best frequency. 6. Auditory space representation appears to be systematically arranged according to the tonotopic axis of the auditory cortex. Thus, the lateral space is represented posteriorly and the middle space anteriorly. Space representation, however, is less systematic in the vertical direction. 7. Auditory cortical neurons are columnarly organized. Thus, the BFs, MTs, threshold curves, azimuthal location of response centers, and auditory spatial response areas of neurons sequentially isolated from an orthogonal electrode penetration are similar.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

A 1- and 2-year follow-up study of bowel sound biofeedback as a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome.

Five patients initially treated with bowel sound biofeedback were assessed at 1- and 2-year follow-up. Although variable results were reported, subjects who improved to a clinically significant extent at posttreatment maintained their improvement through 1-year and in some cases 2-year follow-up. In light of these results, this form of treatment may prove effective for some patients in the long term.

Adult↗

Comparative characteristics of spatial hearing in the dolphin Tursiops truncatus and man.

Directional hearing in dolphins and man was studied by measuring thresholds of detection of signals in noise relative to angle of incidence of interference. The data obtained, evidence of the presence of definite spatial directionality of the hearing system of the dolphin, is expressed in a sharp improvement of thresholds of detection of signals in noise corresponding to the distance of the source of noise from the source of the positive signal in the high frequency range. This effect was also discovered in man, but to a lesser degree.

Animals↗

Topography of afferent and efferent flows in the mechanisms of auditory selective attention.

The auditory evoked potentials (AEP) were recorded in 10 healthy subjects under the conditions of simple rhythmic stimulation and in an attention task. The mid- (10-60 msec) and long-latency (up to 400 msec) AEP were analyzed by mapping the evoked potentials and by assessment of their spatial-temporal characteristics. It is hypothesized that the interaction of the parietal and left-sided temporal and frontal divisions exert an efferent influence on the brainstem structures in the 15-35 msec time segment. The amplitude of the P90 and P250 waves is reduced in the attention task. The amplitude of the late component P350 increases mainly in the central and anterior divisions of the brain.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

Evidence of the origin of specific spontaneous head turns during intertrial intervals.

Direction and the frequency of spontaneous head movements during the ITIs following forward and backward paired trials were compared to an acquisition of a conditioned orienting (alpha) response directed to the side of the tone source. The head movements were analyzed from video recordings using classification of head turns to preferred and to nonpreferred directions. The results showed a significant increase in the alpha responses during the forward paired conditioning to the preferred direction and rapid extinction during the subsequent backward conditioning sessions. Spontaneous head movements during the ITIs increased to the same preferred direction as the conditioned alpha responses. The results of this experiment suggest that the response initially elicited by the CS can later appear as "spontaneous," instrumental behavior, the form and the nature of which is determined by the characteristics of the conditioned alpha response developing as a result of classical conditioning.

Animals↗

Postnatal growth, age estimation and development of foraging behaviour in the fulvous fruit bat Rousettus leschenaulti.

This study documents the postnatal growth, age estimation and development of the foraging behaviour of the fulvous fruit bat Rousettus leschenaulti under captive conditions. At birth, the young were naked and pink with closed eyes and folded pinnae. By day four of age, their eyes had opened and the pups began to move. The mean length of forearm in 5-day-old pups was 24.9 mm and body mass was 10.8 g, equivalent to 32.3% and 14.2% of the values from postpartum females. The length of forearm and body mass increased linearly until 45 and 50 days, respectively, and thereafter maintained an apparent stability. The epiphyseal gap of the fourth metacarpal-phalangeal joint increased until 15 days, then decreased linearly until 75 days and thereafter closed. Age was estimated quantitatively, based on linear changes observed in the length of the forearm and epiphyseal gap. Pups began to roost separately, but adjacent to their mothers when 30 days old and flew clumsily when they were about 40 days old. After attaining clumsy flight, the young bats made independent foraging attempts feebly by biting and licking small fruit pieces. Young bats were engaged in suckling as well as ingesting fruits when they were about 50 days old. Between 55 and 65 days, they flew well and fed on fruits. At the age of 75 days, the young bats were completely weaned and at two months, their foraging behaviour was similar to that of their mothers. There was no significant difference in the growth pattern of the young maintained in captivity compared with those under natural conditions.

Animals↗

Orienting reaction in patients with multiple sclerosis.

A polygraphic study of the somatic (EMG), autonomic (finger plethysmogram, galvanic skin reaction, respiration, pulse, and EEG (acoustic-evoked potential and EEG-blocking reaction) components of the orienting reaction elicited by an auditory stimulus was performed in 71 patients with multiple sclerosis and in 74 matched normal subjects (control group). The study showed a significantly less intense orienting reaction in patients with multiple sclerosis than in control normal subjects. The severity of this responsiveness disturbance depended on the patients' age at symptom onset, major symptom types on admission, and the relapse frequency. The orienting reaction changes found in patients with multiple sclerosis may be ascribed to the diffuse demyelinating lesions in the nervous system of these patients, which generate, apart from the so polymorphous clinical manifestations of this disease, also important responsiveness disturbances.

Adolescent↗

[Examination of binaural signal processing in normally hearing subjects using electrophysiological and psychoacoustical measurements].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: At present, only a small number of validated, clinically usable methods for the assessment of binaural hearing capabilities exist. A proposed electrophysiological measure is the registration of the brainstem-based binaural difference potentials (BDP). PATIENTS/METHODS: The BDP is calculated as the difference between the binaurally evoked registration and the sum of the two monaural registrations. Detection and stability of the BDP were examined in 24 normally hearing adults within the framework of conventional registration of auditory brainstem responses. Furthermore, the influence of interaural time differences (ITD) on the BDP was determined. In addition, lateralization of the subjects was assessed using a psychoacoustical method. RESULTS: The components of the BDP could be detected in almost all of the subjects. Moreover, they showed sufficient test-retest reliability. The impact of ITD,which causes lateralization of the stimulus,was clearly detectable for the latencies and the amplitudes of the BDP. CONCLUSIONS: Binaural difference potentials, which are easily and reliably detectable reveal a relationship to the outcome of psychoacoustical assessment of lateralization and have the potential to provide a measure for binaural hearing capacity.

Acoustic Stimulation↗