Motor Correlates of Vocal Learning

9411191 Suthers发声行为是神经系统的复杂输出，具有重要的行为和社会意义。这些行为，无论是灵长类动物还是鸟类，都表现出(a)对学习的强烈依赖，以及(b)神经控制的复杂性，如侧化——神经系统两侧的不平等控制。在过去，对动物系统中这些现象的研究在很大程度上依赖于手术对控制发声通路的破坏。在这项提案中，由R. Suthers博士领导的研究小组将使用新技术研究鸟类发声行为的发展，这些新技术可以在不进行手术的情况下分析发声控制的许多细节。这些研究将使Suther博士的团队能够揭示对歌唱器官——鸣管两侧协调发展的正常控制。它们也将使我们对青少年如何获得协调模式，以及如何产生音调的复杂方面有新的理解。这些研究将增强我们对通信系统生物学的认识，并与语音通信和语言学直接相关。＊＊＊

9411191 Suthers Vocal behaviors represent complex outputs of the nervous system with great behavioral and social significance. These behaviors, whether in primates or birds, demonstrate (a) a strong dependence on learning, and (b) complexities of neural control such as lateralization -- unequal control by the two sides of the nervous system. In the past, investigation of these phenomena in animal systems has relied very heavily on surgical disruption of the pathways controlling vocalization. In this proposal, a research team headed by Dr. R. Suthers will study the development of avian vocal behavior using new techniques that allow many fine details of vocal control to be analyzed without surgical disruption. These studies will enable Dr. Suther's team to uncover the normal controls on the development of coordination between the two sides of the song production organ, the syrinx. They will also allow new understanding of how the patterns of coordination are acquired by juveniles, and how complex aspects of tonality are produced. These studies will enhance our knowledge of the biology of communication systems, and are directly relevant to speech communication and linguistics. ***