Tan Xiaodong, Young Hunter, Matic Agnella Izzo, Zirkle Whitney, Rajguru Suhrud, Richter Claus-Peter
Department of Otolaryngology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA.
Physiol Rep. 2015 Aug;3(8). doi: 10.14814/phy2.12491.
Infrared neural stimulation (INS) may be beneficial in auditory prostheses because of its spatially selective activation of spiral ganglion neurons. However, the response properties of single auditory neurons to INS and the possible contributions of its optoacoustic effects are yet to be examined. In this study, the temporal properties of auditory neurons in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICC) of guinea pigs in response to INS were characterized. Spatial selectivity of INS was observed along the tonotopically organized ICC. Trains of laser pulses and trains of acoustic clicks were used to evoke single unit responses in ICC of normal hearing animals. In response to INS, ICC neurons showed lower limiting rates, longer latencies, and lower firing efficiencies. In deaf animals, ICC neurons could still be stimulated by INS while unresponsive to acoustic stimulation. The site and spatial selectivity of INS both likely shaped the temporal properties of ICC neurons.
由于红外神经刺激（INS）对螺旋神经节神经元具有空间选择性激活作用，因此它在听觉假体中可能具有益处。然而，单个听觉神经元对INS的反应特性及其光声效应的可能贡献尚未得到研究。在本研究中，对豚鼠下丘中央核（ICC）中听觉神经元对INS反应的时间特性进行了表征。在沿音调组织的ICC中观察到了INS的空间选择性。使用激光脉冲序列和声学点击序列来诱发正常听力动物ICC中的单个单元反应。响应INS时，ICC神经元表现出较低的极限频率、较长的潜伏期和较低的放电效率。在耳聋动物中，ICC神经元仍可被INS刺激，而对声刺激无反应。INS的作用部位和空间选择性可能共同塑造了ICC神经元的时间特性。
