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The Cochlear Nucleus: The New Frontier

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Computational Models of the Auditory System

Part of the book series: Springer Handbook of Auditory Research ((SHAR,volume 35))

Abstract

Paraphrasing Lord Kelvin, “If you can’t make a model, you didn’t understand.” Conceptual models of the neuronal circuitry within the auditory brainstem have been around for a long time. With the advent of supercomputers and the ubiquity of laptops, computational modeling these days is relatively common.

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Abbreviations

2D:

two-dimensional

AM:

amplitude-modulated

AN:

auditory nerve

AVCN:

anteroventral cochlear nucleus

b K , B :

sensitivity to potassium conductance

BBN:

broad-band noise

BF:

best frequency

BW:

bandwidth

BWA→B :

bandwidth of cell group A sending connections to cell B

c:

threshold sensitivity (0–1)

chop-S:

chopper-sustained

chop-T:

chopper-transient

CA→B :

center frequency offset from cell group A to cell B

CN:

cochlear nucleus

dB SPL:

decibels sound pressure level

DCN:

dorsal cochlear nucleus

DSI:

depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition

E:

neuron transmembrane potential

Eex :

excitatory reversal potential

Ein :

inhibitory reversal potential

E K , EK :

potassium reversal potential

ES:

prior soma potential

g A→B :

conductance of the synaptic connection from cell A to B

gex :

normalized excitatory synaptic conductance

gin :

normalized inhibitory synaptic conductance

gk :

normalized potassium conductance

G:

resting conductance

Gex :

excitatory synaptic conductance

Gin :

inhibitory synaptic conductance

G k , GK :

potassium conductance

HRP:

horseradish peroxidase

HRTF:

head-related transfer function

Ih :

a Ca+-sensitive, hyperpolarization-activated inward rectifier

I–V:

current-voltage

I2-cells:

inhibitory interneurons with type II unit RMs

ISIH:

interspike interval histogram

KLT :

low-threshold K+

LTD:

long-term depression

LTP:

long-term potentiation

N A→B :

number of cell A connections to cell B

On:

Onset

On-C:

onset-chopper

On-I:

ideal onset

On-L:

onset with late activity

P-cells:

principal cells

PL:

Primarylike

Pri-N:

primarylike-with-notch

PS:

potential in soma

PSTH:

peristimulus time histogram

PVCN:

posterioventral cochlear nucleus

R–C:

resistance-capacitance

RM:

response map

S:

spiking variable indicating whether a cell has fired

SA :

input spike from cell A

SpAc:

spontaneous activity

SC:

magnitude of step current injected into a point neuron

SCN:

the input current

SR:

spontaneous rate

TGK:

refractory time constant

TH:

neuron threshold

TH0:

initial neuron threshold

TMEM:

membrane time constant

TTH:

time constant for accommodation

VCN:

ventral cochlear nucleus

Vm :

membrane potential relative to rest

W-cells:

wideband inhibitors

θ:

spike threshold voltage

σ:

conductance step

σ A→B :

the connection strength from cell A to cell B

τ:

time constant

τ A→B :

time constant of synaptic connection from cell A to cell B

τK :

potassium time constant

τ m :

membrane time constant

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the intellectual and programming contributions to the DCN computational model by Drs. K. Davis, K. Hancock and T. McMullen, and the financial support over the years by NIH and Boston University’s Hearing Research Center and Biomedical Engineering department.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA

    Herbert F. Voigt

Authors
  1. Herbert F. Voigt
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  2. Xiaohan Zheng
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Herbert F. Voigt .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex, CO43SQ, United Kingdom

    Ray Meddis

  2. Inst. Neurociencias de Castilla y León, Universidad de Salamanca, Av. Alfonso X El Sabio s/n, Salamanca, 37007, Spain

    Enrique A. Lopez-Poveda

  3. Parmly Hearing Institute, Loyola University Chicago, 6525 N. Sheridan Rd., Chicago, 60626, USA

    Richard R. Fay

  4. Dept. Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, 20742-4415, USA

    Arthur N. Popper

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Voigt, H.F., Zheng, X. (2010). The Cochlear Nucleus: The New Frontier. In: Meddis, R., Lopez-Poveda, E., Fay, R., Popper, A. (eds) Computational Models of the Auditory System. Springer Handbook of Auditory Research, vol 35. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5934-8_3

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