Auditory Mechanisms for Complex Acoustic Communication

复杂声音交流的听觉机制

基本信息

批准号：
7259907
负责人：
TIMOTHY Q GENTNER
金额：
$ 38.63万
依托单位：
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
财政年份：
2007
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2007-03-01 至 2012-02-29
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/7259907
关键词：
Acoustics Adaptive Behaviors Address Adult Animal Model Animals Auditory Auditory area Auditory system Basic Science Behavior Behavioral Behavioral Mechanisms Biological Biological Models Birds Cataloging Catalogs Categories Cells Child Chronic Class Clinical Treatment Code Cognition Cognitive Communication Communication impairment Complex Data Development Elements European Exhibits Goals Human Impaired cognition Investigation Knowledge Language Learning Measures Memory Modeling Monitor Neurobiology Neurons Operant Conditioning Pattern Pattern Recognition Perception Play Positioning Attribute Procedures Process Prosencephalon Research Research Personnel Role Sensory Series Shapes Signal Transduction Site Songbirds Sturnus vulgaris Techniques Telencephalon Testing Thinking Training analog awake base bird song cell type experience extracellular neurobiological mechanism neuromechanism neurophysiology pattern perception programs relating to nervous system response sound syntax

项目摘要

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): A critical challenge in understanding the neural basis of any complex behavior, including human language, is the development of appropriate animal models. Yet, for language, longstanding theoretical positions hold that many of the underlying cognitive capabilities are uniquely human. We have recently demonstrated, however, that European starlings, a species of song bird, can acquire and use complex patterning rules extracted from sequences of conspecific songs, thereby exhibiting syntactic processing abilities previously thought unique to humans. We have also recently shown that single neurons in the auditory forebrain region CMM, an analog to mammalian auditory cortex, acquire explicit representations of acoustic features in (and only in) the songs that adult starlings have learned to recognize. The combination of these results provides a unique opportunity for significant advancement in our understanding of the neurobiological and behavioral mechanisms for the perception and cognition of temporally patterned acoustic communication signals. We propose a series of neurophysiological and behavioral studies that capitalize on this opportunity with the overall goal of establishing birdsong as a model system for the neurobiological mechanisms of syntactic processing. We will examine experience-dependent song-selective responses in the ascending auditory hierarchy, testing the hypothesis that the auditory regions adjacent to CMM show selective representations of behaviorally relevant songs. We will examine temporal pattern perception and syntactic rule learning at the behavioral level to understand how learned patterning rules (i.e. syntax) can be applied by birds independent of pattern element acoustics, perhaps a crucial distinction between birds and humans. Finally, we will explore the neural bases of temporal pattern recognition and syntactic processing directly, by testing the hypothesis that the acquisition of syntactic rules describing patterns of song motifs leads to explicit representation of the acquired syntax in CMM and/or adjacent regions. The results of these studies will establish songbirds a model system for biological study of fundamental computational processes that underlie human language. This basic research therefore advances significantly the promise of clinical treatment for a variety of language and communication disorders, in children and cognitively impaired adults.

描述（由申请人提供）：理解任何复杂行为（包括人类语言）的神经基础的关键挑战是发展适当的动物模型。然而，对于语言而言，长期以来的理论立场认为，许多潜在的认知能力都是人类的独特之处。然而，我们最近证明，欧洲八哥（一种歌曲鸟类）可以获取和使用从同种歌曲序列中提取的复杂图案规则，从而表现出以前认为人类独有的句法处理能力。我们最近还表明，在听觉前脑区域CMM中的单个神经元（与哺乳动物听觉皮层的类似物）中获得了（仅在）成人八哥学会识别的歌曲中的声学特征的明确表示。这些结果的结合为我们理解神经生物学和行为机制的理解提供了一个独特的机会，以感知和认知具有暂时性图案的声学信号。我们提出了一系列神经生理学和行为研究，这些研究利用了这一机会，其总体目标是将Birdsong作为句法处理神经生物学机制的模型系统。我们将在上升的听觉层次结构中检查与经验相关的歌曲选择性响应，以检验以下假设：与CMM相邻的听觉区域显示出具有行为相关歌曲的选择性表示。我们将在行为层面检查时间模式感知和句法规则学习，以了解如何通过独立于模式元素声学的鸟类应用学习的图案规则（即语法），这可能是鸟类和人类之间的关键区别。最后，我们将通过测试以下假设，即获取描述歌曲主题模式的句法规则会导致在CMM和/或相邻区域中明确表示，探讨了时间模式识别和句法处理的神经底座。这些研究的结果将建立鸣禽的模型系统，用于基本计算过程的生物学研究。因此，这项基础研究在儿童和认知受损的成年人中对各种语言和沟通障碍的临床治疗有望大大提高。