Models of the Neuronal Mechanisms of Target Localization of the Barn Owl

Abstract

Models of the computation of sound direction in the brainstem and midbrain of the barn owl (tyto alba) were developed. Nucleus laminaris is the first site of interaural time-delay (ITD) processing. It was shown that standard neuron models would have to have unrealistically fast time constants in order to match the 10 micro-second ITD resolution characteristic of laminaris neurons. Three physiological reasonable, qualitatively distinct alternatives, were developed. Nucleus ventralis lemnisci lateralis pars posterior (VLVP) and the lateral shell of the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICL) are the first two stages of interaural level differences (ILD) processing. It was shown how a thermometer code of ILD could be formed in VLVp through competitive dynamics, and how the ILD-tuned responses of ICL neurons could derive from the VLVp through lateral inhibition. It was shown how this architecture could be modified to achieve near independence from the average binaural level. Experimentalists are now checking the predictions of these models of ILD and ITD processing.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 1993
Accession Number
ADA277332

Entities

People

  • John Pearson

Organizations

  • Sarnoff Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Anatomy
  • Birds
  • Brain
  • Cells
  • Central Nervous System
  • Frequency
  • Information Processing
  • Information Systems
  • Inhibition
  • Microsecond Time
  • Nervous System
  • Neural Networks
  • Neurons
  • Neurophysiology
  • Neurosciences
  • Plastic Explosives
  • Signal Processing

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  • Auditory Neuroscience/Auditory Physiology.
  • Neuroscience
  • Theoretical Analysis.