NEUROMUSCULAR CONTROL AND MOTOR INTEGRATION OF BIRDSONG

本研究的目的是继续研究鸣禽鸣叫产生的运动协调性。主要的焦点将放在歌曲制作和修改方面，这些方面到目前为止很少或根本没有受到关注。将用一套成熟的技术来研究自发鸣叫的鸟类的各种外周运动模式，包括记录气流和呼吸压力、肌肉的电活动和喙的运动。为了研究鸟喙运动与歌曲制作的运动控制的整合，将在歌曲发展过程中记录鸟喙运动，并在歌曲变得刻板印象后再次记录。此外，将首次研究影响这些动作的颌肌的作用。我们将通过操纵歌曲输出来研究喙的运动对声音反馈的依赖性。对肌肉系统控制两个独立发音器的详细作用的研究将通过完成两个物种的肌电记录来继续。除了阐明空洞肌在产生各种声音中的作用外，这项研究还将首次评估不同的人是否可以使用不同的肌肉激活模式组合来产生类似的声音，或者是否限制条件决定了特定的模式。最后，将首次研究参与声音产生和修改的各种肌肉的生理和组织学特征。该信息将在评估对歌曲的时间和声学调制的外围约束时非常重要。了解外围系统的限制将允许对中央电机控制系统的必要功能进行推断，例如时间精度和协调性。通过研究复杂的视觉显示和歌唱之间复杂整合的发展，将在棕头牛鸟身上探索运动协调的另一个复杂水平。总之，这些实验将促进我们对导致鸣禽产生歌声的外围运动事件的了解。由于歌唱是一种复杂的、习得的发声行为，与人类的言语和歌唱有许多相似之处，因此，拟议的实验结果不仅将加深我们对运动控制的基本知识，还将加深我们对这个动物模型系统与人类系统之间的异同的理解。

The goal of this research is to continue the investigation of motor coordination of song production in songbirds. The main focus will be on aspects of song production and modification that have received little or no attention to date. The various peripheral motor patterns will be studied in spontaneously singing birds with a set of well-established techniques, including recording of airflow and respiratory pressure, electrical activity of muscles and beak movements. To investigate the integration of beak movements into the motor control of song production, beak movements will be recorded during song development and again after song has become stereotyped. In addition, the role of the jaw muscles effecting these movements will be investigated for the first time. The dependence of beak movements on acoustic feedback will be studied by manipulating song output. The investigation into the detailed role of the muscle systems controlling the two independent sound generators will be continued by completing electromyographic recordings in two species. In addition to elucidating the role of syringeal muscles in the generation of various sounds, this research will allow the first assessment of whether different individuals can generate similar sounds using different combinations of muscle activation patterns or whether constraints dictate a certain pattern. Finally, the physiological and histological characteristics of the various muscles involved in sound generation and modification will be investigated for the first time. This information will be very important in assessing the peripheral constraints on temporal and acoustic modulation of song. Knowing the limits of the peripheral systems will then allow inferences about necessary features, such as temporal precision and coordination, of the central motor control systems. An additional level of complexity in motor coordination will be explored in the brown-headed cowbird by studying the development of the intricate integration between the complex visual display and song. Together these experiments will advance our knowledge of peripheral motor events that lead to the production of song in songbirds. Because singing is a complex, learned vocal behavior with many parallels to human speech and singing, the results of the proposed experiments will not only further our basic knowledge about motor control but also enhance our understanding of similarities and differences between this animal model system and the human system.