Journal of neurophysiology
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Multichannel techniques were used to assess the frequency specificity of activation in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (CIC) produced by electrical stimulation of localized regions within the ventral cochlear nucleus (VCN). Data were recorded in response to pure tones from 141 and 193 multiunit clusters in the rat VCN and the CIC, respectively. Of 141 VCN sites, 126 were individually stimulated while recording responses in the CIC. ⋯ Broadness of acoustic tuning in the CIC played a role in frequency-specific activation. Narrowly tuned CIC sites showed the lowest degree of frequency specificity on stimulation of the anterolateral VCN regions. These data provide significant implications for auditory brain stem implant electrode placement, current localization, power requirements, and facilitation of information transfer to higher brain centers.