The Journal of General Physiology, Vol 58, 562-579,
Copyright © 1971 by The Rockefeller University Press
Intensity Characteristics of the Noctuid Acoustic Receptor
William B. Adams 1
1 From the Laboratory of Sensory Communication, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13210.
Dr. Adams's present address is the School of Electrical Engineering, Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana 47907.
Spiking activity of the more sensitive acoustic receptor is described as a function of stimulus intensity. The form of the intensity characteristic depends strongly on stimulus duration. For very brief stimuli, the integral of stimulus power over stimulus duration determines the effectiveness. No response saturation is observed. With longer stimuli (50 msec), a steady firing rate is elicited. The response extends from the spontaneous rate of 20–40 spikes/sec to a saturated firing rate of nearly 700 spikes/sec. The characteristic is monotonic over more than 50 db in stimulus intensity. With very long stimuli (10 sec), the characteristics are nonmonotonic. Firing rates late in the stimulus decrease in response to an increase in stimulus intensity. The non-monotonic characteristics are attributed to intensity-related changes in response adaptation.
Submitted on May 7, 1971
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