Onset neurones in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus project to the dorsal cochlear nucleus

Abstract

Considerable circumstantial evidence suggests that cells in the ventral cochlear nucleus, that respond predominantly to the onset of pure tone bursts, have a stellate morphology and project, among other places, to the dorsal cochlear nucleus. The characteristics of such cells make them leading candidates for providing the so-called "wideband inhibitory input" which is an essential part of the processing machinery of the dorsal cochlear nucleus. Here we use juxtacellular labeling with biocytin to demonstrate directly that large stellate cells, with onset responses, terminate profusely in the dorsal cochlear nucleus. They also provide widespread local innervation of the anteroventral cochlear nucleus and a small innervation of the posteroventral cochlear nucleus. In addition, some onset cells project to the contralateral dorsal cochlear nucleus.