Neural mechanisms underlying temporal organization in frog vocalizations

青蛙发声时间组织的神经机制

• 批准号: 1146501
• 负责人: Ayako Yamaguchi
• 金额: $ 37.5万
• 依托单位: University of Utah
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-06-01 至 2016-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1146501&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Neural; mechanisms; underlying; temporal; organization

Animal behaviors are composed of movements that are coordinated across broad time scales. For example, human speech involves very rapid movements that control articulation of phonemes coordinated with slower movements of the respiratory musculature. The goal of this project is to understand how the temporal complexity of behaviors is generated by the nervous system. To this end, neuronal mechanisms underlying complex vocal behaviors of male African clawed frogs will be investigated. The central vocal circuit of Xenopus is an ideal model to achieve this goal because it remains functional in vitro (the brain can 'sing' in a dish), such that intensive physiological experimentation can be conducted during behavior, a feature that is not available in most other vertebrate species. The results of the study are expected to reveal cellular mechanisms by which the nervous system organizes and coordinates a functional sequence of motor programs. In addition, the project will provide opportunities for a graduate student and a postdoctoral fellow to be trained in the inter-disciplinary field of neuroscience, and outreach efforts will be made to recruit students from underrepresented groups and educators in local secondary institutions to participate in the research program.

动物的行为是由跨越广泛的时间尺度协调的运动组成的。例如，人类语音涉及非常快速的运动，其控制与呼吸肌肉组织的较慢运动相协调的音素的发音。这个项目的目标是了解行为的时间复杂性是如何由神经系统产生的。为此，将研究雄性非洲爪蛙复杂发声行为背后的神经元机制。非洲爪蟾的中央发声回路是实现这一目标的理想模型，因为它在体外保持功能（大脑可以在培养皿中“唱歌”），因此可以在行为期间进行密集的生理实验，这是大多数其他脊椎动物物种所不具备的功能。 这项研究的结果有望揭示神经系统组织和协调运动程序功能序列的细胞机制。 此外，该项目将为一名研究生和一名博士后研究员提供机会，接受神经科学跨学科领域的培训，并将努力招募当地中学教育机构中代表性不足的群体和教育工作者的学生参加研究计划。

项目成果

Rhythm generation, coordination, and initiation in the vocal pathways of male African clawed frogs

雄性非洲爪蛙声音通路的节奏产生、协调和启动

• DOI: 10.1152/jn.00628.2016
• 发表时间: 2017
• 期刊: Journal of Neurophysiology
• 影响因子: 2.5
• 作者: Yamaguchi, Ayako;Cavin Barnes, Jessica;Appleby, Todd
• 通讯作者: Appleby, Todd

Motor Neurons Tune Premotor Activity in a Vertebrate Central Pattern Generator

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2755-16.2017
• 发表时间: 2017-03-22
• 期刊: JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
• 影响因子: 5.3
• 作者: Lawton, Kristy J.;Perry, Wick M.;Zornik, Erik
• 通讯作者: Zornik, Erik