The 1948 Jeffress model explains ITD coding via neural delay-line coincidence detectors
Evidence
The majority of the binaural processing algorithms are based on the coincidence detection model proposed by Jeffress (1948). The model suggests that certain neurons in the brain are narrowly tuned to specific ITDs between the ear canal signals. As illustrated in Figure 13.13, the model consists of an array of coincidence-detector neurons receiving excitatory signals from both ears, and delay lines are used to represent axons connecting the neuron to the cochlear nuclei of the left and right ears. The highest activity is then received from the coincidence-detector neuron where the propagation delay in the inputs effectively cancels out the ITD between the left and right ear inputs. — Ville Pulkki, Matti Karjalainen, Communication Acoustics- An…, 1662
Categorization
Category: Definitional Content
- DEFINE: Concise working definition of the Jeffress coincidence-detection model, the foundation of most binaural algorithms in use today.
- XREF: This is the same delay-line architecture later challenged by Grothe’s work questioning strict ITD ‘maps’ in mammals — a good contradiction to hold in mind.
Related
- Jeffress coincidence detection explains how neurons encode interaural time differences. (similarity 0.95)
- The brain measures interaural delay via coincidence-detector neurons and delay-line axons (similarity 0.93)
- Interaural time differences are computed by cross-correlating the two ear signals (similarity 0.84)
- Count-comparison and coincidence-detection models imply different brain receptive-field architectures for direction coding. (similarity 0.81)
- Neural ITD coding could use either equal conduction latencies or phase matching. (similarity 0.81)
- Interaural time difference maps derive from precise phase delays, not absolute latencies (similarity 0.80)
- The periodic ringing of cochlear inputs sustains phase-based ITD coding for nonperiodic sounds (similarity 0.80)
- Coincidence detection models were extended to also encode ILD sensitivity (similarity 0.79)