Sound localization in the owl:representation and control

Brain MechanismsStudent’s Choice Topics

Why the Owl• Aural predator –

hunt’s with sound localization

• Phase locking ability -- upwards of 10 kHz

• Strong dependence on ITD cues over wide frequency range

ITD CodingOptimal coding

Vs. Jeffress coincidence

detection

Discussion topics• ITD coding in the Inferior

Colliculus– Limitations of current models– “physiologically relevant”

range– Pi limit

Distribution of interaural time difference in the barn owl’s inferior colliculus in low- and high-frequency ranges

Wagner et al., 2007

• Preservation of spectrotemporal tuning between the nucleus laminairis and the inferior colliculus of the barn owl

– Christianson and Pena, 2007

Topics

Topics• Top-down gain control of the auditory space map by

gaze control circuitry in the barn owl– Winkowski and Knudsen, 2006