[Reflection of the periodic structure of complex acoustic signals in the summated activity of inferior colliculus neurons in cats].

The frequency following response (FFR) of the cat posterior colliculus rather roughly reflects the subtle temporal and spectral properties of complex tonal and speech signals. The FFR relation to a certain phase of the complex signal depends on the signal's main frequency and phase spectrum. The FFR periodicity corresponds to the signal's base frequency even if it is missing from the spectrum. A complex signal with an missing base frequency can induce a periodic SSR even if the frequency itself is not able to induce the FFR. The data obtained characterize some neurophysiological mechanisms of perception of complex sound signal's periodicity.