The Morphology and Axonal Organization of Single Neurons Involved in Sensory/Motor Integration in the Song System

9309771 Margoliash神经行为学中最令人兴奋和最有成果的模型系统之一是学习鸟鸣。成年雄性鸣禽有独特的歌唱曲目，它们用来保卫领地和吸引配偶。这些歌曲的产生是在一个复杂的大脑核团系统的控制下进行的，这个系统的发育与结晶(非塑料)歌曲的出现是平行的。这些发育过程受到听觉反馈和类固醇激素的影响。NSF的这笔拨款将使马戈利亚什博士能够购买设备，建立一种追踪这些大脑核团之间联系的新方法。使用这些新技术，他将能够确定听觉信息是如何从感觉核团传输到执行系统的，从而形成歌曲模式。这些信息将对我们理解复杂行为的发展、性别分化以及反馈控制神经网络和机器人系统的设计非常重要。

9309771 Margoliash One of the most exciting and fruitful model systems in neuroethology is learned bird song. Adult male songbirds have unique song repertoires which they use to defend territories and attract mates. Production of these songs is under the control of an elaborate system of brain nuclei whose development parallels the emergence of crystalized (nonplastic) song. These developmental processes are influenced by auditory feedback and steroid hormones. This NSF grant will enable Dr. Margoliash to purchase equipment to set up a novel method of tracing the connections between these brain nuclei. Using these novel techniques he will be able to determine how auditory information is transmitted from the sensory nuclei to the executive system that patterns song. This information will be important for our understanding of the development of complex behaviors, sexual differentiation and the design of feedback controlled neural networks and robotics systems.***