Binaural response-specific bands in primary auditory cortex (AI) of the cat: topographical organization orthogonal to isofrequency contours.

The spatial distribution of neurons with different binaural response properties has been studied within the three dimensions of the primary auditory cortex (AI) in the cat. Using dichotic stimulation, 92% of neurons encountered could be classified into either the excitatory/excitatory (EE) or excitatory/inhibitory (EI) interaction class. In nearly all of almost 800 penetrations introduced along radial axes, all neurons encountered along a given penetration were of the same binaural response class. Neurons of different binaural interaction classes were spatially segregated within the plane of the cortex. Electrode penetrations made parallel to isofrequency contours traversed the mediolateral extent of AI through the middle layers of the cortex. A sharp segregation of units by binaural response class was observed in these penetrations, i.e. sequences of neurons that were all of the EE class alternated with sequences of EI neurons. The regions of uniform response to binaural stimulation formed radially organized topographical subunits that were elongated along the rostrocaudal dimension of AI. These binaural interaction bands intersect the lines of re-representation of the cochlear sensory epithelium ('isofrequency contours') and, thus, create subdivisions of AI that each contain a representation of the entire audible frequency domain. The implications of these results for the concept of AI as a unitary element in auditory processing are discussed.