Neural mechanisms underlying the analysis of sonar and social vocalizations: Spectral and temporal integration in the mustached bat

The analysis of sonar echoes by the mustached bat depends on combination‐sensitive neurons that respond best when distinct spectral elements of a sonar pulse and echo occur in a particular temporal relationship. Such integrative response properties underlie direct comparisons of acoustic features in outgoing pulses and returning echoes, comparisons thought to encode pulse–echo delay and other information‐bearing features of echoes. These response properties are abundant in the auditory midbrain, thalamus, and cortex of the mustached bat. Combination‐sensitive neurons utilize facilitatory and inhibitory neural interactions to create selective responses to acoustic features. The different interactions (facilitatory and inhibitory) originate in different stages within the ascending auditory pathway. Inhibitory interactions arise mostly in the auditory brainstem. Facilitatory interactions arise within the inferior colliculus, but also display the results of the inhibitory interactions originating at brainstem...