The encoding of vertical sound souce direction in human and mouse auditory cortex
* Presenting author
Abstract:
While the encoding of horizontal sound direction has been extensively studied, very little is known about the representation of vertical sound direction in the auditory cortex. We measured cortical elevation tuning using high-resolution fMRI and EEG in humans, and ECOG in mice. Results in humans indicate that sound elevation is represented by broad tuning functions preferring lower elevations as well as secondary narrow tuning functions preferring individual elevation directions. The shape of these tuning functions is contingent on experience with spectral cues and covaries with the change in elevation perception that accompanies adaptation to modified elevation cues. Mouse auditory cortex does not show preferential tuning to low elevations, potentially due to the lower overall elevation of a mouse head compared to a human head. We discuss how tuning functions affect spatial cognition in both species.