Three-channel Lissajous' trajectory of auditory brain-stem potentials evoked by specific frequency bands (derived responses)

Seismic communication in a blind subterranean mammal: a major somatosensory mechanism in adaptive evolution underground

Seismic communication, through low-frequency and patterned substrate-borne vibrations that are generated by head thumping, and which travel long distances underground, is important in the nonvisual communication of subterranean mole rats of the Spalax ehrenbergi superspecies (2n = 52, 54, 58, and 60) in Israel. This importance pertains both intraspecifically in adaptation and interspecifically in speciation. Neurophysiologic, behavioral, and anatomic findings in this study suggest that the mechanism of long-distance seismic communication is basically somatosensory and is independent of the auditory mechanism. Seismic communication thus appears to be a channel of communication important in the evolution of subterranean mammals that display major adaptation to life underground.

Three-channel Lissajous' trajectories of auditory brainstem evoked potentials: contribution of fast and slow components to planar segment formation

Three-Channel Lissajous' Trajectories (3CLT) of Auditory Brainstem Evoked Potentials (ABEP) to clicks were obtained after finite impulse response filtering in three frequency bands. These bands were chosen to replicate the widely used passband (100-3000 Hz) and to selectively enhance the definition of the 'pedestal' (10-240 Hz) or the first, third and fifth components (240-483 Hz). Quantitative measures of 3CLT were calculated to describe apex latencies, planar segment orientations, durations, trajectory amplitude peaks and their latencies. In addition, dipole moments at the latencies of apical points along 3-CLT were calculated. The planarity of ABEP 3-CLT segments persisted after selective enhancement of the 'pedestal' or the first, third and fifth components. These results rule out the suggestion that planarity of ABEP segments results from the interaction of the 'pedestal' with the superimposed faster components. These results demonstrate summation of 3-CLT planar segments ('a' 'c' and 'e' with the 'pedestal') to form new segments (wide-band 'a', 'c' and 'e'). With the exception of 'c', planar segments and the equivalent dipole moments associated with apexes did not change orientations across passbands. The effects of passband on the orientation of planar segment 'c' and the dipole moment of its apex are explained by its superimposition on the 'pedestal' in the wide-band records. A similar analysis of ABEP to clicks as compared to low-frequency stimuli (high-pass masked clicks) revealed no change in planarity nor in plane parameters. These results are compatible with the suggestion that the generators of the first, third and fifth ABEP components are curved fiber tracts. The planarity of the slow 'pedestal' may be due to the summation of slow synaptic potentials in auditory brainstem nuclei. These findings indicate that the generators of ABEP are composites that may be separated by selective lesion studies.

Effects of electrolytic lesions of the superior olivary complex and trapezoid body on brainstem auditory-evoked potentials in the guinea pig. II. Three-channel Lissajous' trajectory analysis

Brainstem auditory-evoked potentials (BAEP) were studied both with vertex (positive) - tragus (negative) derivation and three-channel Lissajous' trajectory (3-CLT) planar analysis in guinea pigs (GP) after destruction of the ipsilateral superior olivary complex (SOC) (6 GP), contralateral SOC (8 GP) referred to the stimulation side, and trapezoid body (TB) in the sagittal line (8 GP). The size of the lesion was evaluated on histological examination. The right ear was locally destroyed with aminoside instillation. The left ear was stimulated with unfiltered clicks and tone bursts of different frequencies at 100 dB SPL. Three questions were the basis of this study: (i) What are the effects of brainstem lesions on 3-CLT? (ii) Is there a relationship between planar segments and underlying sources? (iii) What is the generator of planar segment C (P3) in GP? 3-CLT analysis was made on plane A (corresponding to P1 on a vertex-tragus channel), plane B (N1-P2) and plane C (P3.) Plane C disappeared after TB lesions and remained after ipsi- and contralateral SOC destructions. However, plane C disappeared after extensive lesions to the contralateral SOC affecting the TB. Planes A and B were always observed whatever the lesion, with sometimes a modification of their orientation. A localized brainstem lesion induced a local modification of the three-dimensional trajectory. These data are in agreement with the assumption that some planes of 3-CLT reflect the activity of underlying generators. However, the loop which contains the planar segment is a better indicator of the global electrical activity of the source. Plane C (P3) would have a contralateral source which is probably not the SOC but the afferent curved fibers of the TB close to the contralateral SOC.