Neural processing of novel sounds

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A novel sound is an acoustic event deviant in pattern and/or location from a constantly or repetitively presented acoustic background . Novel sounds typically carry behaviourally significant information. Under certain conditions, these sounds can even signal life-threatening incidents. Therefore, it is an important function of the nervous system to detect these sounds. Knowledge regarding how auditory neurons process information related to the deviation in sound location is important for understanding neural mechanisms responsible for the detection of novel sounds. The current goal of my group is to study this neural processing. The rat will be used as a mammalian animal model as it has a highly developed hearing ability including sensitivity to novel sounds. Our research will be focused primarily on the auditory midbrain, as existing neurophysiological and neuroanatomical evidence suggests that this neural structure is important for the auditory processing of novel sound location. We will determine how neural sensitivity to the deviation in sound location is dependent on the interaction among neural signals driven by the left and the right ears. We will investigate how this sensitivity is dependent on neurotransmitter receptors, i.e., cell-membrane proteins receiving chemical signals from other neurons. We will also determine how this sensitivity is dependent on neural connections between the auditory midbrain and other neural structures including the auditory cortex. The proposed research will provide information as to whether the auditory midbrain contributes to a mechanism responsible for selective processing of novel sounds in the acoustic world. It will also help us understand pre-attentive processes important for the formation of auditory sensory memory. Therefore our research will be significant for understanding hearing mechanisms.