Neuronal precision, accuracy, and fidelity: inhibitory and excitatory inputs to the lateral superior olive

超快的信号和精确到微秒范围的高时间精度是听觉系统的标志，使其与几乎任何其他感觉系统区分开来。外侧上级橄榄（LSO），一个关键的脑干核，神经元比较兴奋性（谷氨酸能）和抑制性（甘氨酸能）输入同侧和对侧耳，分别。因此，LSO神经元对耳间水平差异敏感，这是声音定位的主要线索之一。为了完成声音定位的任务，快速、精确和持续的突触传递被认为是至关重要的。甘氨酸能输入神经元的LSO火灾动作电位可靠的频率高达800赫兹。目前还不清楚这些特征是否被忠实地处理到LSO神经元上，以及它们与神经元能输入的整合有多精确和可靠。为了解决这个重要的问题，我们建议分析这两种类型的LSO输入的精度，准确性和保真度，并揭示一些潜在的机制。将在小鼠脑切片中获得电生理记录，同时以各种频率和持续时间电激活输入。表征将包括野生型和适当敲除小鼠中的记录。我们的研究结果将有助于了解如何微调听觉突触的速度，精度和保真度是获得兴奋性和抑制性输入。由于听觉脑干的异常可能与声音处理和语音识别的问题有关，我们希望有助于更好地诊断中枢听觉处理障碍。

Ultrafast signaling and exquisitely high temporal precision down to the microsecond range are hallmarks of the auditory system that set it apart from virtually any other sensory system. Neurons in the lateral superior olive (LSO), a key brainstem nucleus, compare excitatory (glutamatergic) and inhibitory (glycinergic) inputs from the ipsilateral and contralateral ear, respectively. LSO neurons are thus sensitive to inter-aural level differences, one of the primary cues in sound localization. To fulfill the task of sound localization, fast, precise, and sustained synaptic transmission is thought to be crucial. Glycinergic input neurons to the LSO fire action potentials reliably at frequencies up to 800 Hz. It is unclear whether these features are faithfully processed onto LSO neurons and how precisely and reliably they are integrated with glutamatergic inputs. To address this important issue, we propose to analyze the precision, accuracy, and fidelity of both types of LSO inputs and to reveal some of the underlying mechanisms. Electrophysiological recordings will be obtained in mouse brain slices while activating the inputs electrically at various frequencies and durations. Characterization will comprise recordings in wild-type and appropriate knock-out mice. Our results will help to understand how fine tuning of auditory synapses for speed, precision, and fidelity is obtained in excitatory and inhibitory inputs. As abnormalities in the auditory brainstem may be related to problems in sound processing and speech recognition, we hope to contribute to a better diagnosis of central auditory processing disorders.