Refining Cortical Representation of Sound Azimuths by Auditory Discrimination Training

Although training-based auditory cortical plasticity in the adult brain has been previously demonstrated in multiparametric sound domains, neurochemical mechanisms responsible for this form of plasticity are not well understood. In this study, we trained adult rats to identify a target sound stimulus at a specific azimuth angle by using a reward-contingent auditory discrimination task. We found that auditory spatial discrimination training significantly enhanced representation of sound azimuths in the primary auditory cortex, as shown by sharper azimuth-selective curves and more evenly distributed best angles of cortical neurons. Training also facilitated long-term potentiation of field potentials in the primary auditory cortex induced by theta burst stimulation of the white matter. In parallel, there were significant alterations in expression levels of certain cortical GABA(A) and NMDA receptor subunits, resulting in a marked decrease in the level of GABA(A) relative to NMDA receptors. These changes in the expression profile of inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitter receptor subunits might enhance synaptic transmission, thereby facilitating training-induced cortical plasticity in the spatial domain.