INHIBITORY SYNAPTIC TRANSMISSION IN EARLY AUDITORY PROCESSING

iv INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER 1. HETEROGENEOUS KINETICS AND PHARMACOLOGY OF SYNAPTIC INHIBITION IN THE CHICK AUDITORY BRAINSTEM 15 Abstract 16 16 Introduction 17 Methods 18 Results 25 Evoked IPSCs exhibit region-specific decay kinetics 25 Distinct pharmacology between the timing and intensity pathways 28 Evidence for co-release of GABA and glycine in nAng 29 Depolarizing Egly in nAng 32 Excitatory effects of GABA/glycine in nAng 33 Discussion 34 Acknowledgements 40 CHAPTER 2. INTRINSIC AND SYNAPTIC PROPERTIES OF VERTICAL CELLS OF THE MOUSE DORSAL COCHLEAR NUCLEUS. 51 Abstract 52 52 Introduction 53 Methods 54 Results 59 Heterogeneous spiking behavior in vertical cells 61