| Improved auditory spatial acuity in visually deprived ferrets. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 10583483 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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We have examined the effects on auditory spatial acuity in the horizontal plane of depriving ferrets of patterned visual cues by binocular eyelid suture in infancy or for a comparable period in adulthood. Minimum audible angles (MAAs) were measured for 500-, 100- and 40-ms broadband noise bursts at the midline and at 45 degrees to one side. A logistic regression analysis revealed no consistent difference between the midline MAAs of normal and infant lid-sutured ferrets. However, the lateral field MAAs of the infant-deprived group were significantly smaller and showed less inter-subject variability than those of normal-sighted ferrets. The animals deprived in adulthood were tested in the lateral field only, firstly 6 months after binocular eyelid suture and again after a further 10 months. For the first test, the MAAs achieved by these animals with 500- and 100-ms noise bursts were significantly smaller than the normal values and no different from those of the infant-deprived group. A significant improvement in performance at the two shortest stimulus durations (100 and 40 ms) was observed when the adult-deprived animals were re-tested. Their second-test MAAs did not differ from those of the infant-deprived group at any of the three stimulus durations used, and both groups achieved significantly better scores than the normal-sighted control animals. These results show that prolonged visual deprivation in both juvenile and adult ferrets can lead to a significant improvement in auditory spatial acuity in the lateral sound field. This is consistent with reports that congenitally blind humans can localize peripheral sounds more accurately than normal controls. |
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Authors:
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A J King; C H Parsons |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't |
Journal Detail:
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Title: The European journal of neuroscience Volume: 11 ISSN: 0953-816X ISO Abbreviation: Eur. J. Neurosci. Publication Date: 1999 Nov |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 1999-12-28 Completed Date: 1999-12-28 Revised Date: 2009-09-29 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 8918110 Medline TA: Eur J Neurosci Country: FRANCE |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 3945-56 Citation Subset: IM; S |
Affiliation:
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University Laboratory of Physiology, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK. andrew.king@physiol.ox.ac.uk |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Acoustic Stimulation Animals Auditory Threshold / physiology* Cues Ferrets Head Movements Learning Reaction Time Regression Analysis Sensory Deprivation Sound Localization / physiology* Visual Perception |
| Grant Support | |
ID/Acronym/Agency:
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//Wellcome Trust |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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