A Stereotactically Guided Ablation Technique for Auditory Cortex Removal in Rats

Take an anesthetized rat secured in a stereotactic frame.

Shave and disinfect the scalp, then make an incision to expose the skull.

Identify the anatomical references the bregma, the lambda, and the interaural line to locate the auditory cortex, the brain region that processes sound signals.

Incise and retract the temporal muscle, revealing the temporal bone.

Position a needle at the interaural line's midpoint. Using this landmark, determine the coordinates above the auditory cortex.

Drill the marked region and remove the bone to expose the brain.

Cut through the meninges, the layers covering the brain.

Perform ablation by aspirating the cortical layers while preserving the white matter. Auditory cortex removal disrupts the sound signal processing ability.

Replace the excised bone, apply gauze to control bleeding, and suture the skin.

Apply antibiotic ointment to prevent infection and administer subcutaneous analgesics to alleviate pain.

Allow the rat to recover to assess the impact of ablation.