Subcutaneous neural measurements in the túngara frog
Poster Number
06B
Format
Poster Presentation
Faculty Mentor Name
Marcos Gridi Papp
Faculty Mentor Department
Biological Sciences
Abstract/Artist Statement
Most frogs call to attract mates. In general, the tuning of the brain and eardrum of the frog match the frequencies in the call. In túngara frogs however, there is a mismatch: the brain and call are tuned to low frequencies, whereas the eardrum is tuned to high frequencies. This mismatch may be explained by mating behavior. Females usually approach males in the water, with the eardrums submerged. Previous studies in our lab revealed that the tuning of the eardrums is shifted to lower frequencies under water. To test the hypothesis that the tuning of the eardrum matches that of the brain under water, we need to determine if brain tuning shifts under water. The traditional way of assessing hearing sensitivity of frogs involves the placement of an electrode in an auditory region of the brain, but this is a challenging technique to use under water. More recently, auditory brainstem responses (ABR) have been used to evaluate hearing sensitivity in frogs. Because ABR is minimally invasive, it will be easier to implement in underwater experiments and will be a faster and simpler way to assess auditory sensitivity. We are currently in the final stages of implementing an ABR setup in our lab.
Location
DeRosa University Center, Ballroom
Start Date
29-4-2017 10:00 AM
End Date
29-4-2017 12:00 PM
Subcutaneous neural measurements in the túngara frog
DeRosa University Center, Ballroom
Most frogs call to attract mates. In general, the tuning of the brain and eardrum of the frog match the frequencies in the call. In túngara frogs however, there is a mismatch: the brain and call are tuned to low frequencies, whereas the eardrum is tuned to high frequencies. This mismatch may be explained by mating behavior. Females usually approach males in the water, with the eardrums submerged. Previous studies in our lab revealed that the tuning of the eardrums is shifted to lower frequencies under water. To test the hypothesis that the tuning of the eardrum matches that of the brain under water, we need to determine if brain tuning shifts under water. The traditional way of assessing hearing sensitivity of frogs involves the placement of an electrode in an auditory region of the brain, but this is a challenging technique to use under water. More recently, auditory brainstem responses (ABR) have been used to evaluate hearing sensitivity in frogs. Because ABR is minimally invasive, it will be easier to implement in underwater experiments and will be a faster and simpler way to assess auditory sensitivity. We are currently in the final stages of implementing an ABR setup in our lab.