Neural mechanisms underlying vocal production

描述(申请人提供)：拟议研究的目标是了解灵长类动物大脑发声的神经机制，以及它们对正常和病理条件下人类语音处理机制的影响。早期的研究得出结论，大脑皮层在非人类灵长类动物的发声过程中发挥的作用很小，这与人类大脑皮层在语音产生中的作用形成了鲜明对比，也与过去20年积累的证据不符。在这个应用中，我们将使用一种发声很高的灵长类动物--常见的绒猴(Callithrix Jacchus)作为我们的实验模型来重新研究这个重要的问题。与其他通常用于实验室研究的非人类灵长类物种相比，绒猴具有独特的优势，因为它是一种丰富的发声曲目和有趣的发声行为，很容易在实验室条件下进行研究。在目标1中，我们将确定与绒猴发声相关的额叶皮质区域。这项拟议的实验将利用一种独特的发声行为(“逆声叫声”)和一种成熟的慢性记录技术来识别绒猴大脑中参与发声的特定皮质区域。目的2将利用无线记录技术研究自由漫游的绒猴在发声过程中额叶皮质神经元的生理特性。这一目的的实验将有助于识别绒猴大脑中负责产生和控制发声的皮质区域网络。目的3将使用可逆失活方法研究特定额叶皮质区域在控制发声产生中的作用。这项拟议的研究结果将有助于揭示灵长类动物大脑中负责发声的神经机制，并对理解大脑在说话和听力过程中的运作方式具有启示意义。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The objective of the proposed research is to understand neural mechanisms underlying vocal production in the primate brain and their implications for human speech processing mechanisms in normal and pathological conditions. Earlier studies concluded that the cerebral cortex plays little role in vocal production in non-human primates, which is in sharp contrast to the role of human cortex in speech production and inconsistent with accumulating evidence from the past two decades. In this application, we will re-examine this important question using a highly vocal primate, the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), as our experimental model. The marmoset provides a unique advantage over other non-human primate species typically used in laboratory studies in that it as a rich vocal repertoire and interesting vocal behaviors that are readily studied in laboratory conditions. In Aim 1, we will identify frontal cortex areas associated with vocal production in marmosets. The proposed experiments in this aim will take the advantage of a unique vocal behavior ("antiphonal calling") and a well-developed chronic recording technique to identify specific cortical areas in the marmoset brain involved in vocal production. Aim 2 will study physiological properties of neurons in the frontal cortex during vocal exchanges in freely roaming marmosets using a wireless recording technique. Experiments in this aim will help identify the network of cortical areas in the marmoset brain that are responsible for generating and controlling vocalizations. Aim 3 will examine the roles of specific frontal cortex areas in controlling vocal production using reversible inactivation methods. Findings from the proposed study will shed lights on neural mechanisms responsible for vocal production in the primate brain and have implications for understanding how the brain operates during speaking and hearing.