催产素对强噪声所致声音强度辨别功能损伤的拮抗作用

我们已发现外源性催产素能改善人及豚鼠以恼干电位或耳蜗电图为指标的听觉功能。本文在对照组和预先给予催产素处理的豚鼠上,比较了125dB(SPL)白噪声暴露20min前后声音强度辨别能力的改变,并比较了肌内注射和侧脑室微量注射两种不同给药途径的作用。实验以重复短声调幅引起的皮层慢反应电位阈值I_r为指标,观察了催产素对豚鼠声音强度辨别功能的影响。结果发现对照组噪声暴露所致I_r的升高明显高于催产素处理组,且此种暂时性阈移的恢复也明显慢于催产素组;催产素两种给药途径的结果无明显差异。这些结果进一步提示催产素对声音强度辨别功能具有保护作用。     

双耳条件下超前声对人分辨滞后声强度的影响

在复杂声环境中,对声音强度的分辨是听觉系统对声音信号精确处理的重要功能之一.到目前为止,有关人对声音强度分辨的研究都是在单耳条件下进行的,然而,正常条件下人都是利用双耳感知强度和方位变化的声音.以人对声刺激强度的最小可察觉差异(just noticeable difference,JND)为强度分辨阈值的指标,观察双耳条件下超前声对人分辨滞后声强度的影响.实验在封闭声场中进行,声刺激强度和空间方位的控制是通过改变双耳平均声压(average binaural level,ABL)和双耳声压差(interaural level difference,ILD)来模拟的.实验结果表明,与安静条件下人对声刺激强度的分辨阈值相比,低强度的超前声对人分辨滞后声强度的阈值无显著影响,而中等及以上强度(ABL大于或等于40 dB)的超前声可提高人分辨滞后声强度的阈值,阈值的提高随超前声强度的增加呈单调增大的趋势.当超前声强度一定时,超前声对人分辨滞后声强度的影响随滞后声强度的增加而衰减,对分辨较高强度的滞后声的阈值影响不显著,该结果与单耳的研究结果有明显差异.实验未发现超前声和滞后声ILD的相对改变对人探测滞后声强度变化的阈值有显著影响.     

持续与间断噪声前掩蔽条件下小鼠下丘神经元的不同反应模式

有关听中枢神经元纯音前掩蔽效应的神经表征已进行了大量研究,但是,噪声前掩蔽尤其是间断噪声前掩蔽效应的神经表征却鲜有报道。本研究观察了自由声场条件下,昆明小鼠下丘神经元在持续与间断噪声前掩蔽条件下对纯音探测声的反应。共记录到96个下丘神经元,测量了其中51个神经元在不同声刺激条件下的强度一放电率函数。结果显示,掩蔽声强度分布较广（探测声阈下21dB至阈上19dB之间）。在将近一半的神经元中,间断噪声的前掩蔽效应比持续噪声强（Ⅰ型,45．10％,P〈0．001）,但也有少数神经元其间断噪声的掩蔽效应较持续噪声的弱（Ⅲ型,17．65％,P〈0．001）,部分神经元无显著性差异（Ⅱ型,37．25％,P〉0．05）。无论Ⅰ型还是Ⅲ型神经元,持续噪声和间断噪声均在探测声强度较低时产生较强的抑制效应,随着探测声强度的升高,抑制效应逐渐降低（P〈0．001）;同时,持续噪声和间断噪声之间前掩蔽效应差异亦不复存在（P〉0．05）。此外,当掩蔽声由持续噪声换为间断噪声后,部分Ⅰ型神经元掩蔽时相的类型发生转变,其中最主要的转变为由前期抑制转变为均衡抑制（53．85％,7／13）。对下丘神经元声反应的时间域以及强度域,持续与间断噪声具有分化性前掩蔽效应,提示噪声前掩蔽并非简单的神经元发放压抑源,某些主动性神经调制机制可能参与了噪声条件下时相声信息的编码过程。     

声音的调幅感受阈

本工作用调幅检测法测定了正常受试者的强度辨别阈(△I)。当载波为白噪声,其强度为阈上20—30dB,调幅信号为一波宽200ms的准矩形波时,△I平均只0.27dB,比以往用白噪声或纯音调幅法和信号比较法测得的结果都小(表1)。改变调幅波的上升下降时间(0—15ms)对△I无明显影响。△I随调幅时程t的增长而变小,并以t达到临界时间T(约100ms)时为极限。此后△I即等于常数K。当t 小于T时,△I与t的函数关系可表达为△I=K(T/t)~(1/2)。     

豚鼠听皮层的调频诱发电位

利用平均技术在豚鼠记录了持续纯音调频时所引起的皮层诱发电位并测定了反应阈(⊿F_m)。调频信号为50毫秒的矩形波,每秒一次。纯音的声压通过声反馈压缩系统维持恒定。调频诱发电位的一般特性与声音诱发电位的相似。80—100dB SPL 是记录调频诱发电位的最佳强度。调频诱发反应可以分别是“给”、“撤”或“给-撤”型,与频率变化的方向有一些关系。当频率F>1000赫时⊿F_m 随 F 的增加而增大,⊿Fm/F略小于1%。当F<1000赫时⊿Fm 在12赫上下。此分辨精度大致与人对短时程纯音的频率辨别精度相近。文中对所用新研究方法作了讨论。     

强声对豚鼠动作电位（N_1）潜伏期的影响及永久性阈移（PTS）早期预测指标分析

用慢性面神经管长期置入电极方法,测试了不同时间,不同强度的白噪声或２．８３ＫＨｚ强纯音暴露下清醒豚鼠的ＡＰ（Ｎ１）潜伏期。结果发现,暴露后对短声及各频率短纯音反应的ＡＰ（Ｎ１）潜伏期均出现统计学意义的延长者,可作为预测永久性阈移（ＰＴＳ）的一项较理想的指标。     

有关猫交叉听力及其对检测耳影响的初步研究

目的研究猫的交叉听力现象及其产生机理,初步探讨交叉听力对检测耳ABR振幅的影响。方法用彻底破坏一侧耳蜗的方法,观察16只听力正常家猫的交叉听力现象及其对检测耳的影响。结果①当短声强度≥75dB(SPL)时,开始出现交叉听力波形,声强增至95dB时,交叉听力波形最典型。②95dB短声产生的交叉听力波形可被40或45dB(SPL)的稳态白噪声（SWN）完全屏蔽掉。③在同一时间轴中比较95dB短声诱发的ABR和交叉听力波形,发现交叉听力之波谷恰与ABR之pⅢ、pⅣ波峰相对应。④两耳均正常时对侧耳负荷的40dBSWN可使95dB短声诱发的ABR之pⅢ、pⅣ波振幅增大,且具统计学意义（P＜0.01）。结论交叉听力对ABR振幅的影响取决于两者的波峰与波谷在同一时间轴上的对应情况,声强较大时记录到的ABR,实质上是交叉听力与刺激侧产生的ABR在同一时间轴上的综合电位。     

弱噪声对下丘神经元声强敏感性的动态调制

为探讨复杂听环境下行为相关声信号提取的可能机制,研究了弱噪声对下丘(IC)神经元强度．放电率函数(RIF)的影响。实验在9只昆明小鼠(Musmusculus Km)上进行,在自由声场刺激条件下,分别记录短纯音刺激以及同步输出短纯音阂下5dB包络白噪声刺激时IC神经元的RIF,共获112个IC神经元,测量了其中44个神经元在加入噪声前(W／O)后(w)的RIF。以加入噪声前后RIF的声强动力学范围(DR)、斜率、以及不同声刺激强度的放电率抑制百分比变化为指标,比较分析发现：弱噪声对神经元发放率的影响呈三种类型,即抑制(39／44,88．6％)、易化(2／44,4．6％)和无影响(3／44,6．8％),但只有抑制性影响有显著性意义(P＜0．001,n=39);弱噪声对阂反应的抑制效应最强,并随纯音强度的增加而逐步减弱(P＜0．01301,n=39);此外,弱噪声的抑制作用还使大部分神经元的(31／39,79．5％)DR变窄(P＜0．01,,l=31)、RIF的斜率增加(P＜0．01,n=31)。上述结果提示,弱噪声参与下丘神经元声强敏感性的动态调制过程。这一观察为人们深入了解自然听环境中声信号提取的中枢机制提供了新认识。     

变压器噪声暴露对SD大鼠听力及应激状态的影响研究

目的:探究短时间内低声级强度低频的变压器噪声暴露对SD大鼠听力及应激状态方面的影响。方法:选取90只SPF级健康无听力障碍的(雌雄各半)SD大鼠作为实验对象,随机分为实验A、B组和对照C组,A、B组分别给予声级上限为65 dB SPL、60 dB SPL(频谱范围:100~800 Hz)的变压器噪声,噪声暴露时程为8周,每日噪声给予时间为22点至次日8点,C组在相同条件下饲养,不给予噪声暴露。噪声暴露结束后,通过DPOAE(畸变耳声发射)、ABR(听性脑干反应)检测、耳蜗铺片及毛细胞计数对SD大鼠听力学状况进行评估;通过血清中促肾上腺皮质激素(ACTH)、血清皮质醇(CORT)对SD大鼠的应激状态进行评估。结果:在变压器噪声暴露的8周内,各组大鼠生长状况良好,体重均呈正常生理性增长,组间无明显差异(P0.05);在变压器噪声暴露8周后,对A、B、C三组大鼠的听力学指标进行两两比较,组间均无明显差异(P0.05),对大鼠血清中促肾上腺皮质激素(ACTH)、血清皮质醇(CORT)的含量进行三组间比较,组间差异均无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:连续暴露于声压级上限65/60 dB SPL,频谱范围为100~800 Hz的变压器噪声下8周(10小时/天)对SD大鼠听力未产生明显影响,未引发SD大鼠应激状态。     

噪声短时暴露所致的耳蜗电位改变

本实验观察115dB(SPL)白噪声暴露20min对豚鼠耳蜗直流电位(EP),复合听神经动作电位(CAP),微音器电位(CM)的影响。发现此种噪声暴露确可提高源于血管纹的正EP(P-EP),说明有血管纹功能的代偿性增强;而负EP(N-EP)变化不大。AP及CM输入-输出函数的变化说明噪声首先影响外毛细胞的主动运动功能。EP与耳蜗电图的对照分析表明,血管纹功能的改变确能影响噪声性听损伤的发展。     

Female green treefrogs (Hyla cinerea) do not selectively respond to signals with a harmonic structure in noise

1. Females of the green treefrog, Hyla cinerea, communicate in noisy environments, with spectrally complicated signals. A previous study (Megela Simmons 1988), using the reflex modification technique, found that the masked threshold of green treefrogs to two-tone signals differed by about 10 dB depending on whether or not the two components were harmonically-related. The present study used the same two-component stimuli to test the prediction that gravid females would better detect harmonic sounds in noise than inharmonic ones. 2. We offered gravid treefrogs simultaneous choices between alternative two-component synthetic sounds: (1) an inharmonic sound of 831 + 3100 Hz, and a harmonic sound of 828 + 2760 Hz. We varied the sound pressure level (SPL in decibels [dB]) to which we equalized these alternatives at the female's release point (75 and 80 dB SPL), and we tested females in quiet conditions and in the presence of broadband background noise (52 dB/Hz at the female's release point). 3. At a signal playback level of 75 dB SPL, one-third of the females responded in the presence of background noise. Subtracting the spectrum level yields a critical ratio estimate of 23 dB, a value that is very similar to estimates for single pure tones in noise reported in other studies of this species (Ehret and Gerhardt 1980; Moss and Megela Simmons 1986). Females did not, however, choose the harmonic sound over the inharmonic sound in this condition, at the higher signal-to-noise ratio, or in either of the unmasked situations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Prepulse Inhibition of Acoustic Startle Reflex as a Function of the Frequency Difference between Prepulse and Background Sounds in Mice

Background

Prepulse inhibition (PPI) depicts the effects of a weak sound preceding strong acoustic stimulus on acoustic startle response (ASR). Previous studies suggest that PPI is influenced by physical parameters of prepulse sound such as intensity and preceding time. The present study characterizes the impact of prepulse tone frequency on PPI.

Methods

Seven female C57BL mice were used in the present study. ASR was induced by a 100 dB SPL white noise burst. After assessing the effect of background sounds (white noise and pure tones) on ASR, PPI was tested by using prepulse pure tones with the background tone of either 10 or 18 kHz. The inhibitory effect was assessed by measuring and analyzing the changes in the first peak-to-peak magnitude, root mean square value, duration and latency of the ASR as the function of frequency difference between prepulse and background tones.

Results

Our data showed that ASR magnitude with pure tone background varied with tone frequency and was smaller than that with white noise background. Prepulse tone systematically reduced ASR as the function of the difference in frequency between prepulse and background tone. The 0.5 kHz difference appeared to be a prerequisite for inducing substantial ASR inhibition. The frequency dependence of PPI was similar under either a 10 or 18 kHz background tone.

Conclusion

PPI is sensitive to frequency information of the prepulse sound. However, the critical factor is not tone frequency itself, but the frequency difference between the prepulse and background tones.     

Frequency selectivity of hearing in the green treefrog,Hyla cinerea

Frequency selectivity of hearing was measured in the green treefrog, Hyla cinerea. A psychophysical technique based on reflex modification was used to obtain masked threshold estimates for pure tones (300-5,400 Hz) presented against two levels of broadband masking noise. A pure tone (S-1) presented 200 ms prior to a reflex-eliciting stimulus (S-2) inhibited the motor reflex response to S-2. The magnitude of this reflex modification effect varied systematically with the sound pressure level (SPL) of S-1, and threshold was defined as the SPL of S-1 at which the reflex modification effect disappeared. Masked thresholds were used to calculate critical ratios, an index of the auditory system's frequency selectivity. The frequency selectivity of the treefrog's hearing is greatest and critical ratios are lowest (22-24 dB) at about 900 and 3,000 Hz, the two spectral regions dominant in the male treefrog's species-specific advertisement call. These results suggest that the treefrog's auditory system may be specialized to reject noise at biologically-relevant frequencies. As in other vertebrates, critical ratios remain constant when background noise level is varied; however, the shape of the treefrog's critical ratio function across frequencies differs from the typical vertebrate function that increases with increasing frequency at a slope of about 3 dB/octave. Instead, the treefrog's critical ratio function resembles its pure tone audiogram. Although the shape of the treefrog's critical ratio function is atypical, the critical ratio values themselves are comparable to those of many other vertebrates in the same frequency range. Critical ratio values here measured behaviorally do not match critical ratio values previously measured physiologically in single eighth nerve fibers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Severe constraints for sound communication in a frog from the South American temperate forest

The efficiency of acoustic communication depends on the power generated by the sound source, the quality of the environment across which signals propagate, the environmental noise and the sensitivity of the intended receivers. Eupsophus calcaratus, an anuran from the temperate austral forest, communicates by means of an advertisement call of weak intensity in a sound-attenuating environment. To estimate the range over which these frogs communicate effectively, we conducted measurements of sound level and degradation patterns of propagating advertisement calls in the field, and measurements of auditory thresholds to pure tones and to natural calls in laboratory conditions. The results show that E. calcaratus produces weak advertisement calls of about 72 dB sound pressure level (SPL) at 0.25 m from the caller. The signals are affected by attenuation and degradation patterns as they propagate in their native environment, reaching average values of 61 and 51 dB SPL at 1 and 2 m from the sound source, respectively. Midbrain multi-unit recordings show a relatively low auditory sensitivity, with thresholds of about 58 dB SPL for conspecific calls, which are likely to restrict communication to distances shorter than 2 m, a remarkably short range as compared to other anurans.     

Hearing in Cichlid Fishes under Noise Conditions

Background

Hearing thresholds of fishes are typically acquired under laboratory conditions. This does not reflect the situation in natural habitats, where ambient noise may mask their hearing sensitivities. In the current study we investigate hearing in terms of sound pressure (SPL) and particle acceleration levels (PAL) of two cichlid species within the naturally occurring range of noise levels. This enabled us to determine whether species with and without hearing specializations are differently affected by noise.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We investigated auditory sensitivities in the orange chromide Etroplus maculatus, which possesses anterior swim bladder extensions, and the slender lionhead cichlid Steatocranus tinanti, in which the swim bladder is much smaller and lacks extensions. E. maculatus was tested between 0.2 and 3kHz and S. tinanti between 0.1 and 0.5 kHz using the auditory evoked potential (AEP) recording technique. In both species, SPL and PAL audiograms were determined in the presence of quiet laboratory conditions (baseline) and continuous white noise of 110 and 130 dB RMS. Baseline thresholds showed greatest hearing sensitivity around 0.5 kHz (SPL) and 0.2 kHz (PAL) in E. maculatus and 0.2 kHz in S. tinanti. White noise of 110 dB elevated the thresholds by 0–11 dB (SPL) and 7–11 dB (PAL) in E. maculatus and by 1–2 dB (SPL) and by 1–4 dB (PAL) in S. tinanti. White noise of 130 dB elevated hearing thresholds by 13–29 dB (SPL) and 26–32 dB (PAL) in E. maculatus and 6–16 dB (SPL) and 6–19 dB (PAL) in S. tinanti.

Conclusions

Our data showed for the first time for SPL and PAL thresholds that the specialized species was masked by different noise regimes at almost all frequencies, whereas the non-specialized species was much less affected. This indicates that noise can limit sound detection and acoustic orientation differently within a single fish family.     

Ample active acoustic space of a frog from the South American temperate forest

The efficiency of acoustic communication depends on the power generated by the sound source, the attributes of the environment across which signals propagate, the environmental noise and the sensitivity of the intended receivers. Eupsophus emiliopugini, an anuran from the temperate austral forest communicates by means of an advertisement call of moderate intensity within the range for anurans. To estimate the range over which these frogs communicate effectively, we conducted measurements of call sound levels and of auditory thresholds to pure tones and to synthetic conspecific calls. The results show that E. emiliopugini produces advertisement calls of about 84 dB SPL at 0.25 m from the caller. The signals are affected by attenuation as they propagate, reaching average values of about 47 dB SPL at 8 m from the sound source. Midbrain multi-unit recordings show quite sensitive audiograms within the anuran range, with thresholds of about 44 dB SPL for synthetic imitations of conspecific calls, which would allow communication at distances beyond 8 m. This is an extended range as compared to E. calcaratus, a related syntopic species for which a previous study has shown to be restricted to active acoustic spaces shorter than 2 m. The comparison reveals divergent strategies for related taxa communicating amid the same environment.     

Solutions to the cocktail party problem in insects: selective filters, spatial release from masking and gain control in tropical crickets

Background

Insects often communicate by sound in mixed species choruses; like humans and many vertebrates in crowded social environments they thus have to solve cocktail-party-like problems in order to ensure successful communication with conspecifics. This is even more a problem in species-rich environments like tropical rainforests, where background noise levels of up to 60 dB SPL have been measured.

Principal Findings

Using neurophysiological methods we investigated the effect of natural background noise (masker) on signal detection thresholds in two tropical cricket species Paroecanthus podagrosus and Diatrypa sp., both in the laboratory and outdoors. We identified three ‘bottom-up’ mechanisms which contribute to an excellent neuronal representation of conspecific signals despite the masking background. First, the sharply tuned frequency selectivity of the receiver reduces the amount of masking energy around the species-specific calling song frequency. Laboratory experiments yielded an average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of −8 dB, when masker and signal were broadcast from the same side. Secondly, displacing the masker by 180° from the signal improved SNRs by further 6 to 9 dB, a phenomenon known as spatial release from masking. Surprisingly, experiments carried out directly in the nocturnal rainforest yielded SNRs of about −23 dB compared with those in the laboratory with the same masker, where SNRs reached only −14.5 and −16 dB in both species. Finally, a neuronal gain control mechanism enhances the contrast between the responses to signals and the masker, by inhibition of neuronal activity in interstimulus intervals.

Conclusions

Thus, conventional speaker playbacks in the lab apparently do not properly reconstruct the masking noise situation in a spatially realistic manner, since under real world conditions multiple sound sources are spatially distributed in space. Our results also indicate that without knowledge of the receiver properties and the spatial release mechanisms the detrimental effect of noise may be strongly overestimated.     

Hearing Sensitivity to Shifts of Rippled-Spectrum Sound Signals in Masking Noise

The goal of the study was to enlarge knowledge of discrimination of complex sound signals by the auditory system in masking noise. For that, influence of masking noise on detection of shift of rippled spectrum was studied in normal listeners. The signal was a shift of ripple phase within a 0.5-oct wide rippled spectrum centered at 2 kHz. The ripples were frequency-proportional (throughout the band, ripple spacing was a constant proportion of the ripple center frequency). Simultaneous masker was a 0.5-oct noise below-, on-, or above the signal band. Both the low-frequency (center frequency 1 kHz) and on-frequency (the same center frequency as for the signal) maskers increased the thresholds for detecting ripple phase shift. However, the threshold dependence on the masker level was different for these two maskers. For the on-frequency masker, the masking effect primarily depended on the masker/signal ratio: the threshold steeply increased at a ratio of 5 dB, and no shift was detectable at a ratio of 10 dB. For the low-frequency masker, the masking effect primarily depended on the masker level: the threshold increased at a masker level of 80 dB SPL, and no shift was detectable at a masker level of 90 dB (for a signal level of 50 dB) or 100 dB (for a signal level of 80 dB). The high-frequency masker had little effect. The data were successfully simulated using an excitation-pattern model. In this model, the effect of the on-frequency masker appeared to be primarily due to a decrease of ripple depth. The effect of the low-frequency masker appeared due to widening of the auditory filters at high sound levels.     

The effect of stimulus type and background noise on hearing abilities of the round goby Neogobius melanostomus

The auditory abilities of the round goby Neogobius melanostomus were quantified using auditory evoked potential recordings, using tone bursts and conspecific call stimuli. Fish were tested over a range of sizes to assess effects of growth on hearing ability. Tests were also run with and without background noise to assess the potential effects of masking in a natural setting. Neogobius melanostomus detected tone bursts from 100 to 600 Hz with no clear best frequency in the pressure domain but were most sensitive to 100 Hz tone stimuli when examined in terms of particle acceleration. Responses to a portion of the N. melanostomus call occurred at a significantly lower threshold than responses to pure tone stimulation. There was no effect of size on N. melanostomus hearing ability, perhaps due to growth of the otolith keeping pace with growth of the auditory epithelium. Neogobius melanostomus were masked by both ambient noise and white noise, but not until sound pressure levels were relatively high, having a 5-10 dB threshold shift at noise levels of 150 dB re 1 μPa and higher but not at lower noise levels.     

Detection and discrimination of natural calls in masking noise by birds: estimating the active space of a signal

We tested the ability of birds to detect and discriminate natural vocal signals in the presence of masking noise using operant conditioning. Masked thresholds were measured for budgerigars, Melopsittacus undulatus, and zebra finches, Taeniopygia guttata, on natural contact calls of budgerigars, zebra finches and canaries, Serinus canaria. Thresholds increased with increasing call bandwidth, the presence of amplitude modulation and high rates of frequency modulation in calls. As expected, detection thresholds increased monotonically with background noise level. Call detection thresholds varied with the spectral shape of noise. Vocal signals were masked predominantly by noise energy in the spectral region of the signals and not by energy at spectral regions remote from the signals. In all cases, thresholds for discrimination between calls of the same species were higher than thresholds for detection of those calls. Our data provide the first opportunity to estimate distances over which specific communication signals may be effective (i.e. their ‘active space’) using masked thresholds for the signals themselves. Our results suggest that measures of peak sound pressure level, combined with the spectrum level of noise within the frequency channel having the greatest signal power relative to background noise, give the most similar results for estimating a signal's maximum communication distance across a variety of sounds. We provide a simple model for estimating likely detection and discrimination distances for the signals tested here. Copyright 2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.