Representation of the vowel/eh/in the auditory nerve of cats with a noise-induced hearing loss

This chapter focuses on a population study of responses to the vowel/eh/of auditory nerve fibers in cats with noise-induced cochlear damage. These fibers show dramatic differences from fibers in normal cats in terms of their temporal responses to the vowel. In particular, the capture effect is much weaker and the responses of fibers are more broadband than in normal cats. A population study of single auditory-nerve fibers was used to characterize the deficits induced by a 2-hour exposure to narrow-band noise centered at 2 kHz. A period of 45 days was allowed for recovery from temporary threshold shifts. Single-fiber responses to the vowel/eh/were recorded at intensities ranging from near the threshold of fibers in the damaged region to a maximum of about 110 dB sound pressure levels. The exposed fibers show a less clear pattern of synchrony.