SGER: An Investigation of the Function of a Psittacine Vocal Control Pathway

9521479佩珀伯格利用这一“探索性研究小额赠款”，由艾琳·佩珀伯格博士领导的一个小组将对大脑如何控制发声进行新的研究。这项工作将涉及一个独特的模式系统--教过英语发音的鹦鹉。现有的关于鸟类鸣叫的神经控制的知识大多来自雀类鸣禽，如金丝雀和雀类。为了研究其他类型的鸟类如何控制发声，佩珀伯格小组转向鹦鹉。当鹦鹉学习英语短语时，它们会将这些短语形成歌声般的发声，这为研究类似于众所周知的鸣禽的发声行为提供了独特的机会。为了了解大脑是如何控制这种行为的，在尝试唱歌时，大脑不同区域的活动将以可逆的方式发生变化。这应该会提供信息，说明不同的鸟类群体是否使用不同的大脑机制来产生歌声。这些研究将影响我们对大脑进化的理解，对运动行为的神经控制，以及动物认知能力的出现。***

9521479 Pepperberg With this "Small Grant for Exploratory Research ," a group headed by Dr. Irene Pepperberg will conduct new studies on how the brain controls vocalization. The work will involve a unique model system -- parrots that have been taught English utterances. Most of the existing knowledge on the neural control of bird song comes from passerine songbirds such as canaries and finches. In order to study how other types of birds control vocalization, the Pepperberg group has turned to parrots. When parrots are taught English phrases, they form them into song-like utterances and this offers the unique opportunity to study vocal behaviors that are similar to those of the well-known songbirds. In order to understand how the brain controls this behavior, the activity of various regions of the brain will be changed in a reversible manner while song is being attempted. This should provide information on whether or not different groups of birds use different brain mechanisms to produce song. These studies will influence our understanding of brain evolution, the neural control of motor behavior, and the emergence of cognitive capacities within animals. ***