PSYCH 3A03 Lecture Notes - Basilar Membrane, Band-Pass Filter, Brainstem

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH 3A03
• Professor: Paul Faure

Document Summary

This outline summarizes major points covered in lecture. It is not intended to replace your own lecture notes. Threshold tuning curves display spl of signal required to cause cell to evoke firing. Threshold at any frequency is the spl that evokes firing above the spontaneous rate. Each cell has a different characteristic frequency (cf) or best excitatory frequency (bef). The effective range of tuning curve reflects the dynamic range of the neuron (see i/o function). Effective bandwidth of tuning curve increases with cf across cells. Low cf fibers have a narrower bandwidth of tuning than fibers with a higher cf. Shape and width of tuning curve reflects bandpass filter properties (frequency selectivity) of mechanical tuning of basilar membrane. Spike (action potential) timing to frequencies < 5 khz is non-random. Spikes occur at specific times (phases) of stimulus. Such spikes are said to be phase locked. Anf spikes only to positive portion of stimulus waveform (pressure condensation).