MOTOR CORRELATES OF SONG PRODUCTION

本研究的重点是运动控制的声音沟通， 鸣禽成年鸣禽可以说是最好的动物模型之一 来研究相对复杂行为的神经控制 声音交流的基本模式 鸟鸣与人类分享 语音的某些特性使其成为一种特别有前途的行为 从中获得对有关的基本问题的重要见解， 行为的神经控制 这些问题包括性质和 发声中枢偏侧化的功能意义 沟通，这是目前在人类和许多鸣禽; 特定发声姿势的运动指令被 在中枢神经系统中表现或映射的;运动 不同肌肉群中活动的整合（例如，呼吸和 发音器官）具有不同的主要功能;以及 为产生语音交流而进行的特殊语音处理。 使用开发的技术来记录运动动作和呼吸 在自发鸣叫的鸟类动力学，实验将调查 发声手势的运动控制及其产生的程度 通过个体内部和个体之间固定的刻板运动模式， 物种 呼吸肌和发声肌之间的相互作用， 他们在歌曲创作中的具体角色将被研究。 禽 言语知觉的运动理论的等价物是 实验测试。 中枢传出神经连接的组织 将绘制各种舌肌的分布图，并对 将启动对小脑运动动作的神经控制。

This research focuses on the motor control of vocal communication in songbirds. Adult songbirds arguably provide one of the best animal models in which to study the neural control of relatively complex behavior patterns underlying vocal communication. Birdsong shares with human speech certain properties which make it an especially promising behavior from which to gain significant insights into basic issues related to the neural control of behavior. These issues include the nature and functional importance of the central lateralization of vocal communication, which is present in humans and in many songbirds; the manner in which the motor commands for specific vocal gestures are represented or mapped in the central nervous system; the motor integration of activity in diverse muscle groups (e.g., respiratory and vocal organ) having different primary functions; and the possibility of special phonetic processing for the production of vocal communication. Using techniques developed to record the motor action and respiratory dynamics in spontaneous singing birds, experiments will investigate the motor control of vocal gestures and the extent to which they are produced by fixed stereotyped motor patterns within and between individuals and species. The interactions between respiratory and vocal muscles and their specific roles in song production will be examined. An avian equivalent of the motor theory of speech perception will be experimentally tested. The organization of central efferent connections to various syringeal muscles will be mapped and an investigation of the neural control of syringeal motor action will be initiated.