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Spike-frequency adaptation generates intensity invariance in a primary auditory interneuron

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Abstract

Adaptation of the spike-frequency response to constant stimulation, as observed on various timescales in many neurons, reflects high-pass filter properties of a neuron’s transfer function. Adaptation in general, however, is not sufficient to make a neuron’s response independent of the mean intensity of a sensory stimulus, since low frequency components of the stimulus are still transmitted, although with reduced gain. We here show, based on an analytically tractable model, that the response of a neuron is intensity invariant, if the fully adapted steady-state spike-frequency response to constant stimuli is independent of stimulus intensity. Electrophysiological recordings from the AN1, a primary auditory interneuron of crickets, show that for intensities above 60 dB SPL (sound pressure level) the AN1 adapted with a time-constant of ~40 ms to a steady-state firing rate of ~100 Hz. Using identical random amplitude-modulation stimuli we verified that the AN1’s spike-frequency response is indeed invariant to the stimulus’ mean intensity above 60 dB SPL. The transfer function of the AN1 is a band pass, resulting from a high-pass filter (cutoff frequency at 4 Hz) due to adaptation and a low-pass filter (100 Hz) determined by the steady-state spike frequency. Thus, fast spike-frequency adaptation can generate intensity invariance already at the first level of neural processing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Theoretical Biology, Biology Department, Humboldt University, Invalidenstr. 43, 10115, Berlin, Germany

    Jan Benda

  2. Behavioral Physiology, Biology Department, Humboldt University, Invalidenstr. 43, 10115, Berlin, Germany

    R. Matthias Hennig

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  1. Jan Benda
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  2. R. Matthias Hennig
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Correspondence to Jan Benda.

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Action Editor: Israel Nelken

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Benda, J., Hennig, R.M. Spike-frequency adaptation generates intensity invariance in a primary auditory interneuron. J Comput Neurosci 24, 113–136 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10827-007-0044-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10827-007-0044-8

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