Neural Basis of Vocal Behavior

声音信号对于了解同一物种的成员如何相互交流是很重要的。幼崽通过倾听同类中成熟成员的声音来学习语言，在完善这一行为之前，它们会经历咿呀学语的初始阶段。人类语言和鸟类鸣叫有许多相似之处，这使得鸟类鸣叫可以作为一种模型系统来理解大脑调节交流行为的方式。交流的一个重要组成部分是识别同一物种成员产生的信号的能力，称为同种。在雌鸟中，这种识别对于确保它们只与同种的雄鸟交配至关重要。该奖项授予艾略特·布雷诺维茨博士，他将研究女性如何感知歌曲，以及大脑区域如何控制对同种男性发出的求偶歌曲的识别。选择性失活一个大脑区域，即高音中枢，导致雌鸟无法区分雄性金丝雀的歌声和其他物种的雄鸟的歌声。为了确定大脑中是否有专门用于歌曲识别的途径，连接到高音中枢的大脑区域将被抑制。这种失活的影响将通过繁殖雌性对同种雄性唱歌的反应所表现出的行为表现来衡量。将对歌曲的特定元素进行测试，以确定哪些信号最重要。此外，大脑的两侧将分别接受测试，以确定该系统是否像人类语言一样是双侧不对称的。这项工作将有助于理解大脑如何控制对成功交流至关重要的信号的识别。

Acoustic signals are important in understanding how members of the same species communicate with each other. Juveniles learn speech by listening to mature members of their species, and go through an initial phase of babbling before perfecting this behavior. Human speech and avian song have many similarities which allow bird song to be used as a model system for understanding the way in which the brain regulates communicaton behavior. An important component of communication is the ability to recognize signals produced by members of the same species, called conspecifics. In female birds, such recognition is essential in insuring that they mate only with conspecific males. This award to Dr. Eliot Brenowitz will investigate how females perceive song and the manner in which brain regions control recognition of mating songs produced by conspecific males. Selective inactivation of one brain region, the high vocal center, causes female birds to fail to distinguish between male canary song and the songs of males of other species. To determine if there is a pathway in the brain that is specialized for song recognition, brain regions connected to the high vocal center will be inactivated. The effects of such inactivation will be measured with a behavioral display performed by breeding females in response to presentation of songs sung by conspecific males. Specific elements of the song will be tested to determine which signals are most important. Additionally, each side of the brain will be testd separately to determine if the system is bilaterally asymmetrical as is the case for human speech. This work will contribute to understanding the way in which the brain controls recognition of signals critical for successful communication.