Iso-frequency 2-DG contours in the inferior colliculus of the awake monkey

Tone bursts produced bands of selective 2-[14C]-deoxyglucose labelling in the inferior colliculus (IC) of the awake monkey. Low tone frequencies produced labelling in dorsal regions and high tone frequencies produced labelling in ventral regions. The position of the bands coincided with the position of a single unit with a characteristic frequency, which was the same as the frequency producing the labelling. These findings indicate that the bands of labelling represent iso-frequency contours in IC. The iso-frequency contours extended across most of the nucleus and were oriented from dorsomedially to ventro-laterally at 20-30 degrees from the horizontal and became more vertical anteriorly. The width of the contours was as narrow as 200 micron, suggesting that the contours might represent 2 or 3 overlapping cellular laminae.