Auditory-Vocal Interaction Mechanisms in Primates

描述(由申请人提供)：拟议研究的目的是了解灵长类动物听觉-声音相互作用的生理机制。目前，人们对这种机制知之甚少，也没有足够的灵长类动物模型来解决这些问题。在这个应用程序中，我们将检查我们在一种声音很大的灵长类动物--普通绒猴(Callithrix Jacchus)--中的研究问题。与其他灵长类物种相比，绒猴为我们的研究提供了几个重要的优势：丰富的发声曲目和圈养时的高繁殖率。在拟议的研究中，我们将研究关于灵长类动物听觉-声音相互作用的两个基本问题：1)声音产生系统是否影响听觉信息的皮质处理？2)听觉输入对于维持正常的声音产生是必要的吗？具体地说，我们将测试这一假设，即发声系统调节灵长类动物听觉皮质的神经反应。此外，我们将确定听觉皮质中表现出发声相关调制的神经元的空间分布。我们的初步数据表明，听觉皮质中的神经反应受到发声系统的调制，这种调制在发声之前就开始了。在第二系列实验中，我们将研究绒猴发声的发育变化及其对听觉经验的依赖。我们的假设是，猴的发声在正常的听觉环境下经历了出生后的变化。我们将进一步测试这一假设，即听觉反馈对于维持正常的发声是必要的。这项拟议的研究将以一种综合的方式处理与听觉-声音相互作用相关的问题。目标1-2和目标3-4代表了从两个方向研究听觉-声音相互作用的智力联系的努力：目标1-2研究发声系统对听觉加工的调节，而目标3-4研究听觉系统对发声产生的调节。这项研究的发现将提供对人类言语产生和感知机制的洞察，并建立一个平行的非哈曼灵长类动物模型来研究言语和听力中与疾病相关的问题。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The objective of the proposed research is to understand physiological mechanisms underlying auditory-vocal interaction in primates. Currently such mechanisms are poorly understood, and there are no adequate primate models available to address these issues. In this application, we will examine our research questions in a highly vocal primate, the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). The marmoset provides several important advantages for our studies over other primate species: a rich vocal repertoire and a high reproductive rate while in captivity. In the proposed research, we will examine two fundamental questions concerning auditory-vocal interaction in primates: 1) Does the vocal production system influence cortical processing of auditory information? 2) Is auditory input necessary to maintain normal vocal production? Specifically, we will test the hypothesis that the vocal production system modulates neural responses in the auditory cortex in primates. Furthermore, we will determine spatial distributions of neurons exhibiting vocalization-related modulated in the auditory cortex. Our preliminary data indicates that neural responses in the auditory cortex are modulated by the vocal production system, with the modulation starting prior to the vocal onset. In the second series of experiments, we will study developmental changes in marmoset vocalizations and its dependence on the auditory experience. Our hypothesis is that marmoset vocalizations undergo postnatal changes under the normal auditory environment. We will further test the hypothesis that auditory feedback is necessary for maintaining normal vocal productions. The proposed research will approach the issues related to auditory-vocal interaction in an integrated manner. Aims 1-2 and 3-4 represent intellectually linked efforts to study auditory-vocal interaction from two directions: Aims 1-2 investigate modulation of auditory processing by the vocal system, whereas Aims 3-4 investigate modulation of vocal production by the auditory system. Findings of this research will provide insight into speech production and perception mechanisms in humans and establish a parallel non-haman primate model to investigate disease-related issues in speech and hearing.