Calcium action potentials in hair cells pattern auditory neuron activity before hearing onset

Abstract

The authors find that rat central auditory neurons fire action potentials in a stereotyped pattern of mini-bursts prior to hearing onset and that this pattern is initiated by cochlear hair cells. We found rat central auditory neurons to fire action potentials in a precise sequence of mini-bursts before the age of hearing onset. This stereotyped pattern was initiated by hair cells in the cochlea, which trigger brief bursts of action potentials in auditory neurons each time they fire a Ca2+ spike. By generating theta-like activity, hair cells may limit the influence of synaptic depression in developing auditory circuits and promote consolidation of synapses.