Temporal plasticity in the primary auditory cortex induced by operant perceptual learning
Abstract
Processing of rapidly successive acoustic stimuli can be markedly improved by sensory training. To investigate the cortical mechanisms underlying such temporal plasticity, we trained rats in a 'sound maze' in which navigation using only auditory cues led to a target location paired with food reward. In this task, the repetition rate of noise pulses increased as the distance between the rat and target location decreased. After training in the sound maze, neurons in the primary auditory cortex (A1) showed greater responses to high-rate noise pulses and stronger phase-locking of responses to the stimuli; they also showed shorter post-stimulation suppression and stronger rebound activation. These improved temporal dynamics transferred to trains of pure-tone pips. Control animals that received identical sound stimulation but were given free access to food showed the same results as naive rats. We conclude that this auditory perceptual learning results in improvements in temporal processing, which may be mediated by enhanced cortical response dynamics.
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Primary somatosensory and auditory cortices in monkeys and humans can show dramatic changes with perceptual learning.
“primary somatosensory and auditory cortices, which in both monkeys and humans can show dramatic changes with perceptual learning5, 6, 37–39.”
From Neural correlates of perceptual learning in a sensory-motor, but not a sensory, cortical area (2008) · cites this paper as [38]
Early visual cortical areas are distinguished from primary somatosensory and auditory cortices, which in both monkeys and humans can show dramatic changes with perceptual learning.
“Our results also further distinguish early visual cortical areas from primary somatosensory and auditory cortices, which in both monkeys and humans can show dramatic changes with perceptual learning5, 6, 37–39.”
From Neural correlates of perceptual learning in a sensory-motor, but not a sensory, cortical area (2008) · cites this paper as [38]
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References 41 · Cited by 265
- Authors
- Bao, S., Chang, E. F., Woods, J., & Merzenich, M. M.
- Affiliations
- University of California, San Francisco (US)
- Corresponding author
- Bao, Shaowen
- Venue
- Nature Neuroscience
- Published
- 2004-08-01
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 974-981
- ISSN
- 1097-6256 (ISSN-L)
- 1546-1726
- OpenAlex
- W2065767498
- Cited by
- 265
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 6.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Nature Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NS10414, NS 34835, P01NS034835)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Music Perception
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Hearing, Cochlea, Tinnitus, Genetics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Multisensory perception and integration
- Keywords
- temporal plasticity, primary auditory cortex, perceptual learning, auditory perceptual learning, auditory navigation, phase locking, temporal processing, sensory training
- MeSH terms
- Acoustic Stimulation, Analysis of Variance, Animals, Auditory Cortex, Auditory Pathways, Auditory Perception, Behavior, Animal, Brain Mapping, Conditioning, Operant, Cues, Discrimination, Psychological, Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation, Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Female, Neuronal Plasticity, Sensory Thresholds, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Rats
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