The processing of auditory signals has traditionally been explained by excitatory and inhibitory interactions of divergent and convergent projections within the ascending auditory system. However, studies in the past few years have shown that the massive auditory corticofugal system, which is topographically organized as the ascending auditory system modulates and improves multiparametric subcortical signal processing.

Our recent studies have shown that GABAergic inhibition plays an important role in the ascending and descending subcortical signal processing. The main research interest in my laboratory is to study signal processing in the ascending and descending auditory system using bats as the mammalian model system.

The main research projects in my laboratory are (1) Corticofugal modulation of central auditory signal processing in multiparametric domains in echolocating bats, (2) duration, amplitude, and frequency selectivity in bat midbrain auditory neurons. These two projects will find the answers for the following questions. (1) How does the corticofugal system perform specific and systematic modulation of subcortical signal processing in multiparametric domains? (2) The adaptive value of duration selectivity in bat echolocation.