Activation of bottom-up and top-down auditory pathways by US sensors based interface

Abstract

In this paper we investigate the neural activation of both bottom-up and top-down auditory pathways in rats by means of electrical stimulation. The electrical signals are generated by a bio-inspired sonar and processed by an electronic interface, thought to emulate the mammals biosonar. We stimulate the Inferior Colliculus and the Auditory Cortex through different signal patterns related to ultrasound echoes. In order to investigate neural response to stimuli, we perform Principal Component Analysis and spectral analysis on the electrocorticographic recordings. It is clear that neurons modulate their functional state in response to the external stimulus and its features, strongly highlighting that the electrical inputs are efficiently encoded by both ascending and descending acoustic fibers.