Experimental Influences on Perceptual, Communicative, and Neural Capacities

本研究的目的是探讨不同种类的感觉经验在鸟类交流个体发生中的作用，重点是生殖技能和潜在的神经解剖结构。使用鸟类模型概述了三个目标。首先，成人刺激对青少年学习者的影响将通过一系列的纵向研究进行检验。经验影响的衡量标准包括声音成长、声音模仿、声音信号的使用、视觉注意力和生殖技能。其次，将研究女性感知的特征，特别强调女性交配偏好的可变性。新的证据表明，环境对女性的偏好有影响。偏好的测量包括女性对听觉回放的反应和女性对潜在伴侣的歧视。最后，我们计划对鸟类前脑进行神经学研究，探索雌性使用鸣叫核和雄性使用视觉丘脑核的新发现。所提出的工作的结果应该促进对声音和知觉学习的发展组织的性质以及行为和神经可塑性的整合的认识。最后，神经分析应该通过揭示神经生长模式与相关生态经验的可用性之间的相互依赖关系来拓宽我们对前脑结构作用的理解。

9722865 West/King The aim of the proposed research is to explore the role of different kinds of sensory experience on the ontogeny of avian communication, with a focus on reproductive skills and underlying neuroanatomical structures. Three objectives are outlined, using an avian model. First, the influence of adult stimulation on juvenile learners will be examined in a series of longitudinal studies. Measures of the effects of experience include vocal growth, vocal imitation, use of vocal signals, visual attention, and reproductive skills. Second, characteristics of female perception will be studied with special emphasis on modifiability of female mating preferences. New evidence suggests contextual influences on female preferences. Measures of preference include female responsiveness to auditory playback and female discrimination of potential mates. Finally, neural studies of the avian forebrain are planned to exploit new findings on females' use of song nuclei and males' use of a visual thalamic nucleus. The results of the proposed work should advance knowledge of the nature of developmental organization of vocal and perceptual learning and the integration of behavioral and neural plasticity. Finally, the neural analyses should broaden our understanding of the role of forebrain structures by revealing interdependencies between patterns of neural growth and availability of relevant ecological experience.