Neural Basis of Vocal Behavior

声音信号对于理解同一物种的成员如何相互交流很重要。青少年通过倾听他们物种的成熟成员来学习说话，并在完善这一行为之前经历最初的喋喋不休的阶段。人类的语言和鸟鸣有许多相似之处，这使得鸟鸣可以被用作理解大脑调节交流行为的方式的模型系统。交流的一个重要组成部分是识别同一物种成员产生的信号的能力，这种信号被称为共性。在雌性鸟类中，这种识别对于确保它们只与同种雄性交配是必不可少的。授予艾略特·布雷诺维茨博士的这个奖项将调查雌性如何感知歌曲，以及大脑区域如何控制对同种雄性产生的交配歌曲的识别。大脑的一个区域，也就是高音中枢的选择性失活，会导致雌性鸟类无法区分雄性金丝雀的鸣叫和其他物种的雄性鸣叫。为了确定大脑中是否有一条专门用于识别歌曲的路径，连接到高音中枢的大脑区域将被灭活。这种失活的影响将通过繁殖的雌性对同种雄性唱出的歌曲做出反应而进行的行为展示来衡量。这首歌的具体元素将进行测试，以确定哪些信号最重要。此外，大脑的每一边都将分别进行测试，以确定该系统是否像人类语言一样具有两侧不对称性。这项工作将有助于理解大脑控制对成功沟通至关重要的信号识别的方式。

Acoustic signals are important in understanding how members of the same species communicate with each other. Juveniles learn speech by listening to mature members of their species, and go through an initial phase of babbling before perfecting this behavior. Human speech and avian song have many similarities which allow bird song to be used as a model system for understanding the way in which the brain regulates communicaton behavior. An important component of communication is the ability to recognize signals produced by members of the same species, called conspecifics. In female birds, such recognition is essential in insuring that they mate only with conspecific males. This award to Dr. Eliot Brenowitz will investigate how females perceive song and the manner in which brain regions control recognition of mating songs produced by conspecific males. Selective inactivation of one brain region, the high vocal center, causes female birds to fail to distinguish between male canary song and the songs of males of other species. To determine if there is a pathway in the brain that is specialized for song recognition, brain regions connected to the high vocal center will be inactivated. The effects of such inactivation will be measured with a behavioral display performed by breeding females in response to presentation of songs sung by conspecific males. Specific elements of the song will be tested to determine which signals are most important. Additionally, each side of the brain will be testd separately to determine if the system is bilaterally asymmetrical as is the case for human speech. This work will contribute to understanding the way in which the brain controls recognition of signals critical for successful communication.