Electrophysiological characterization of auditory memory reactivations in the ferret

How the brain consolidates auditory memories during sleep remains poorly understood. A key open question is whether the hippocampus contributes to this process via sharp-wave ripple (SWR) events, the fast oscillatory sequences that drive memory replay in spatial tasks, or whether auditory cortex operates through distinct, cortex-intrinsic mechanisms. Addressing this question requires combining large-scale recordings across the auditory system and hippocampus with reliable vigilance-state monitoring.

Sleep architecture and social modulation of vigilance-state dynamics in the freely moving ferret

Sleep is not a uniform state: it is organized into structured cycles of substages (wakefulness, NREM, and REM sleep) whose dynamics are shaped by both internal brain processes and external experience. How social context influences these transitions remains largely unexplored, particularly in carnivores whose sleep architecture more closely resembles that of humans than rodents. The ferret, a highly social species with a well-characterized auditory cortex and an extended postnatal development, offers a compelling model in which to address these questions.

Emergence of cortical speech representations during postnatal development in the ferret

The ability to perceive and categorize speech sounds develops early in life, well before language acquisition. The neural mechanisms underlying this early plasticity, and in particular the role of auditory experience in shaping the maturation of auditory cortical areas, remain poorly understood. Our group addresses these questions using the ferret as an animal model, whose protracted postnatal brain development makes it especially well suited for experimental investigation.

Speech Intelligibility in Noise: Perception and Prediction Models

Topic: In noisy environments, our ability to spatially separate the voice we are trying to understand from competing sound sources can significantly improve intelligibility. This spatial unmasking is based on binaural listening, meaning we use both ears rather than the monaural signal in only one ear. Numerous models exist for predicting speech intelligibility. These models are crucial tools for evaluating and developing hearing aids and cochlear implants that restore some audibility to deaf people. They are also necessary to improve building accessibility for people with hearing impairments.
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