Inputs to combination-sensitive neurons of the inferior colliculus.

In the mustached bat, combination-sensitive neurons display integrative responses to combinations of acoustic elements in biosonar or social vocalizations. One type of combination-sensitive neuron responds to multiple harmonics of the frequency-modulated (FM) components in the sonar pulse and echo of the bat. These neurons, termed FM-FM neurons, are sensitive to the pulse-echo delay and may encode the distance of sonar targets. FM-FM neurons are common in high-frequency regions of the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICC) and may be created there. If so, they must receive low-frequency inputs in addition to the expected high-frequency inputs. We placed single deposits of a tracer at FM-FM recording sites in the ICC and then analyzed retrograde labeling in the brainstem and midbrain. We were particularly interested in labeling patterns suggestive of low-frequency input to these FM-FM neurons. In most nuclei containing labeled cells, there was a single focus of labeling in regions thought to be responsive to high-frequency sounds. More complex labeling patterns were observed in three nuclei. In the anteroventral cochlear nucleus, labeling in the anterior and marginal cell divisions occurred in regions thought to respond to low-frequency sounds. This labeling comprised 6% of total brainstem labeled cells. Labeling in the intermediate nucleus of the lateral lemniscus and the magnocellular part of the ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus together comprised nearly 40% of all labeled cells. In both nuclei, multiple foci of labeling occurred. These different foci may represent groups of cells tuned to different frequency bands. Thus, one or more of these three nuclei may provide low-frequency input to high-frequency-sensitive cells in the ICC, creating FM-FM responses. We also examined whether ICC neurons responsive to lower frequencies project to high-frequency-sensitive ICC regions; only 0.15% of labeling originated from these lower frequency representations. If the spectral integration of FM-FM neurons is created at the level of the ICC, these results suggest that neurons of the anteroventral cochlear nucleus or monaural nuclei of the lateral lemniscus may provide the essential low-frequency input. In contrast, there is little evidence that the low-frequency representation of the ICC contributes to these integrative responses.

Combination-sensitive neurons in the inferior colliculus.

We examined whether neurons in the inferior colliculus of the mustached bat (Pteronotus parnellii) are combination sensitive, responding to both low- and high-frequency components of the bat's sonar signal. These neurons, previously reported in the thalamus and cortex, analyze sonar target features including distance. Of 82 single units and 36 multiple units from the 58-112 kHz representations of the inferior colliculus, most (86%) displayed sensitivity to low-frequency sounds that was tuned in the range of the fundamental biosonar component (24-31 kHz). All histologically localized units were in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICC). There were two major types of combination-sensitive influences. Many neurons were facilitated by low-frequency sounds and selective for particular delays between the low- and high-frequency components. In other neurons, the low-frequency signal was inhibitory if presented simultaneously or a few milliseconds prior to the high-frequency signal. The results indicate that mechanisms creating specialized frequency comparisons and delay sensitivity in combination-sensitive neurons operate at the ICC or below. Since combination sensitivity or multipeaked tuning curves occur in the auditory systems of many species, ICC neurons in these animals may also respond to species-specific frequency combinations.

[The effect of orthostasis on the fructosamine value]. / Einfluss der Orthostase auf den Fructosamin-Wert.

With the introduction of an improved method for the determination of fructosamine a new tool is available for the monitoring of diabetes. This method provides a good reproducibility together with a standardized quality control and is easily applicated to automated clinical chemistry analyzers. Besides the analytical performance in general the impact of preanalysis on fructosamine values is important for routine work. In a study with 20 volunteers the impact of orthostasis has been investigated. Changes in fructosamine concentration correspond to a shift in the concentration of other analytical parameters related to serum proteins.