Evolution of Neural Circuits and their Behavioral Functions

神经回路及其行为功能的进化

• 批准号: 9604299
• 负责人: Georg Striedter
• 金额: $ 23.64万
• 依托单位: University of California-Irvine
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1997
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1997-02-15 至 2001-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9604299&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Evolution; Neural; Circuits; their; Behavioral

9604299 Striedter The ability to learn complex vocalizations has evolved only in humans, songbirds, and parrots. This project investigates how the neural circuits controlling vocalization have changed during the evolution of vocal learning. Particular emphasis is placed on an area of the midbrain, as the function of this region is hypothesized to have changed significantly as the capacity for vocal behavior moves from being genetically coded to being dependent on learning. Neuroanatomical analysis of the inputs and outputs of this area, observations of the behavioral effects of damage to this area, and electrophysiological examination of the activity of midbrain neurons are all used to test comparative analysis is then used to reconstruct how neural circuitry and behavioral function of the vocal control system change during evolution. In doing so, this is one of the first studies to examine how historical constraints can influence current brain function. The results of this study enhance our understanding of the brain's systems for controlling vocal behavior, including human speech, as well as improve our understanding of how nervous systems in general evolve to accomodate complex new behavioral abilities within the constraints of preexisting circuits with preexisting functions. Such research is important in advancing knowledge about how natural and artificial learning systems acquire increasingly complex abilities as a function of experience.

9604299学习复杂发音的能力只在人类、鸣禽和鹦鹉身上进化出来。这个项目调查了控制发声的神经回路在发声学习的进化过程中是如何变化的。特别强调的是中脑的一个区域，因为假设这个区域的功能已经发生了显著变化，因为发声行为的能力从遗传编码转变为依赖学习。对该区域输入和输出的神经解剖学分析，对该区域损害的行为影响的观察，以及对中脑神经元活动的电生理检查，都被用来测试比较分析，然后用比较分析来重建发声控制系统的神经回路和行为功能在进化过程中的变化。在这样做的过程中，这是第一批研究历史限制如何影响当前大脑功能的研究之一。这项研究的结果增强了我们对大脑控制发声行为(包括人类言语)的系统的理解，也提高了我们对神经系统如何一般地进化以适应复杂的新行为能力的理解，这些能力是在具有先前存在的功能的先前存在的回路的限制下进行的。这类研究对于增进有关自然和人工学习系统如何根据经验获得日益复杂的能力的知识非常重要。