Encoding of Stimulus Frequency and Intensity by Cat Superior Olive S-Segment Cells

Abstract

S-segment units exhibit definite absolute thresholds. Cells with similar characteristic frequency (CF) have similar thresholds. Stimulus intensity increases elicit monotonic increases in spike output up to a limiting plateau. The number of spikes at plateau is highly correlated with the dynamic range over which increases are seen. Simulation with tones higher in frequency than the CF results in lower plateaus and smaller dynamic ranges. Only a limited band of frequencies can maximally stimulate a cell within normal intensity ranges.