THE RESPONSE OF GUINEA-PIG AUDITORY-NERVE FIBERS WITH HIGH SPONTANEOUS DISCHARGE RATES TO INCREMENTS IN INTENSITY

We have re-examined the response of auditory-nerve fibres with high sp ontaneous discharge rates to increments in intensity as a function of the delay of the increment. In agreement with previous studies, the re sponse measured over a relatively long time window (10 ms), emphasisin g the properties of short-term adaptation, did not decrease with the d elay of the increment. However, the response to an increment in intens ity, measured over a short time window (0.64 ms), was significantly la rger when the increment was coincident with the stimulus onset than wh en it was delayed by either 5, 10 or 15 ms.