Objective Early in the postnatal development, inhibitory inputs to lateral superior olive (LSO) neurons switch from being predominantly GABAergic to glycinergic. This study was to explore the effect of auditory deprivation on the physiological switching phenomenon. Methods Using whole-cell voltage-clamp technique, inhibitory postsynaptic currents were recorded in neurons acutely dissociated from the LSO. The ratio of GABAergic and glycinergic currents was observed in postnatal 13-to-15-day-old rats with normal development or deprived auditory function. Results In postnatal 4-to-6-day-old LSO neurons, the GABAergic and glycinergic component was (65.7±5.3)% and (34.3±5.3)%, respectively. In LSO neurons of postnatal 13-to-15-day-old normally developed rats, the GABAergic and glycinergic components were (14.9±5.1)% and (84.1±5.1)%, respectively; while those in the auditory-deprivation animals were about (38.7±5.9)% and (61.3±5.9)%, respectively. The LSO neurons received more GABAergic project and less glycinergic project in auditory deprived animals than normal animals (P0.001 for both). Conclusion The physiological inhibitory synaptic switching phenomenon can be partially blocked in LSO neurons of auditory deprived animals. The auditory stimulus may be related to the development of auditory pathway.