Masking and suppression in auditory nerve fibers of the goldfish, Carassius auratus.

The responses of single fibers of the auditory nerve of the goldfish (Carassius auratus) were recorded in response to two tones of different duration (20 ms 'signals' and 200 ms 'maskers') presented simultaneously or non-simultaneously. A single tone may produce excitation, adaptation, and suppression in auditory nerve fibers. For fibers with characteristic frequencies (CF) in the 200 to 400 Hz range, frequencies well above CF tend to produce suppression. If the net response to the masker tone is excitation, an added excitatory signal tone tends to increment the response in a way predictable from the rate-level function for the masker. A masker can attenuate the response to a signal as a result of a compressive and saturating response to the masker, and as a result of a low signal-to-masker ratio. If the net response to a masker tone is suppression, it effectively subtracts from signal excitation, causing 'suppressive masking.' In non-spontaneous fibers, suppression, additive excitatory effects, and adaptation can be revealed by responses to the signal in the absence of spike responses to the masker. In general, the ability of one tone (the masker) to reduce the response to a second tone (the signal) is greater in non-spontaneous fibers than in spontaneous fibers. These results also show that estimates of the frequency selectivity of many goldfish auditory nerve fibers will depend on whether the response of the fiber is defined by excitation, suppression, or both. The response of many fibers with CF in the 200-400 Hz region, as defined by excitation, can be masked or suppressed by a broad range of frequencies covering the effective hearing range of the goldfish.