Mechanisms Underlying the Development of Auditory Perce*

描述（由申请人提供）：该项目拟研究听觉感知在调节鸣禽——斑胸草雀的发声学习中的作用。年轻的雄性斑胸草雀通过模仿类似人类语言习得的过程，向成年斑胸草雀学习鸣叫。和人类一样，规范的声乐学习依赖于两个阶段的学习。第一阶段包括为正确的歌曲模型建立听觉记忆。第二阶段包括发声练习，在这个阶段，幼鸟比较、匹配并最终改进他的输出，以符合模型歌曲的感官表征（类似于人类婴儿在可识别的语言产生之前的咿呀学语）。本实验将采用神经生理学和行为学方法来进一步了解这些听觉记忆形成的机制，以及这些记忆的质量如何与声乐学习的质量相关。具体而言，PI将：1)研究早期暴露时的行为情境对听觉记忆形成的影响；2)实时测量感知调谐如何调节对同种发声的听觉加工和辨别；3)研究幼鸟在声乐学习期间与声乐模仿有关的听觉记忆的发展。这里提出的研究将解决有关在发展中声乐学习和知觉调谐之间相互作用的基本问题。因此，这项研究的结果将为我们提供听觉经验在感官发展中的作用的见解。听觉感知发展和影响发声行为的机制尚未完全了解。通过研究具有与人类语言学习相似特征的物种的感知和声音学习，我们希望提供有关在发育过程中倾听和与相关声音互动如何影响这些信号的最终处理和产生的信息。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The PI proposes to study the role of auditory perception in mediating vocal learning in a songbird, the zebra finch. Young male zebra finches learn their songs from adult models through a process of imitation that resembles human speech acquisition. As in humans, normative vocal learning is dependent on two phases of learning. The first phase consists of establishing an auditory memory for the correct song model. The second phase involves of vocal practice in which the young bird compares, matches, and eventually refines his output to conform to the sensory representation of the model song (similar to the babbling that human infants prior to recognizable speech production). The proposed experiments will use neurophysiological and behavioral methods to further understand the mechanisms driving the formation of these auditory memories and how the quality of these memories relates to the quality of the vocal learning. Specifically, the PI will: 1) study the influence of the behavioral context during early exposure on auditory memory formation; 2) measure in real time how perceptual tuning mediates auditory processing and discrimination for conspecific vocalizations; and 3) study the development of auditory memories as they relate to vocal imitation in young birds during the period of vocal learning. The research presented here will address fundamental questions regarding the interplay between vocal learning and perceptual tuning in development. Thus, the findings from this research will provide us with insights into the role of auditory experience on sensory development. The mechanisms by which auditory perception develops and affects vocal behavior has yet to been fully understood. By studying perception and vocal learning in a species that share similar characteristics to human speech learning, we hope to provide information on how listening to and interacting with relevant sounds during development affect the eventual processing and production of these signals.