Research Interests: In The Hearing Physiology Laboratory, we study neural mechanisms underlying complex sound processing in the auditory system of echolocating bats, which are known to have excellent hearing. At the same time many features of their sonar sounds are analogous to other communication sounds including human speech. Physiological studies in bats can therefore provide insight into how speech-like sounds are encoded in the auditory system. The major focus of our research is to examine mechanisms responsible for auditory neuron response selectivity to different parameters of complex sounds. Among different neurophysiological approaches we use in our laboratory, our primary electrophysiological technique involves intracellular recording of single auditory neurons in awake bats in response to sounds.

 

 

Laboratory Personnel:

Faculty:	Alexander Galazyuk Assistant Professor
Technical support:	Sergiy Voytenko Research Associate
	Olga Galazyuk Research Associate

Projects:

Temporal dynamics of central auditory processing
Principal Investigator:	Alexander Galazyuk, Ph.D.
Funding Source:	National Institute for Deafness and Other Communicative Disorders

Descending Control of Information Processing in the Auditory Midbrain
Principal Investigator:	Alexander Galazyuk, Ph.D.
Funding Source:	NEOUCOM Research Challenge Award

Recent Laboratory Publications:

Voytenko, S.V. and Galazyuk, A.V. Temporal integration of postsynaptic events by inferior colliculus neurons. (submitted)

Galazyuk, A.V., Lin W., Llano, D.A. and Feng, A.S. (2005) Leading inhibition to neural oscillation is important for time domain processing in the auditory midbrain. J. Neurophysiol. 94: 314-326.

Galazyuk, A.V., White, K.R. and Feng, A.S. (2004) Temporal dynamics of central auditory processing. A chapter to appear in “ Echolocation in Bats and Dolphins “ (J. Thomas, C. Moss and M. Vater, eds.), University of Chicago Press.

Galazyuk, A.V. White, K.R., Feng, A.S. (2004) Temporal dynamics of amplitude-tuning in the inferior colliculus of the little brown bat. In: Echolocation in Bats and Dolphins, J. Thomas, C. Moss, and M. Vater, eds. University of Chicago Press, Chicago. pp 136-140.

Smalling J. M., Galazyuk, A.V ., Feng, A.S (2001) Stimulation rate influences frequency tuning characteristics of inferior colliculus neurons in the little brown bat, Myotis lucifugus . NeuroReport 12: 3539-3542.

Galazyuk, A.V ., Feng, A.S (2001) Oscillation may play a role in time domain central auditory processing. J. Neuroscience 21: RC147.

Galazyuk, A.V. , Llano D., Feng, A.S (2000).Temporal dynamics of acoustic stimuli enhance amplitude tuning of inferior collicular neurons J. Neurophysiol. 83: 128-138.

Volkov I.O., Galazyuk A.V. (1998) Cochleo- and tonotopic organization of the second auditory cortical area (AII) in the cat. Neuroscience 82: 499-509.

Galazyuk, A.V. , Feng, A.S (1997) Encoding of duration of sound pulses by neurons in the auditory cortex of the little brown bat, Myotis lucifugus J. Comp. Physiol. A180: 301-311.

Curtis J. Condon, Alexander V. Galazyuk, Kenneth R. White, and Albert S. Feng (1996) Neurons in the auditory cortex of the little brown bat exhibit selectivity for complex amplitude-modulated signals that mimic echoes from fluttering insects Auditory Neuroscience 3: 269-287.