Avian nucleus retroambigualis: Cell types and projections to other respiratory‐vocal nuclei in the brain of the zebra finch (<i>Taeniopygia guttata</i>)

Vocal learning has evolved in only a few groups of mammals and birds. The key neuroanatomical and behavioural links bridging vocal learners and non-learners are still unknown. Here we show that a non-vocal-learning suboscine, the eastern phoebe, expresses neural and behavioural substrates that are associated with vocal learning in closely related oscine songbirds. In phoebes, a specialized forebrain region in the intermediate arcopallium seems homologous to the oscine song nucleus RA (robust nucleus of arcopallium) by its neural connections, expression of glutamate receptors and singing-dependent immediate-early gene expression. Lesion of this RA-like region induces subtle but consistent song changes. Moreover, the unlearned phoebe song unexpectedly develops through a protracted ontogeny. These features provide the first evidence of forebrain vocal-motor control in suboscines, which has not been encountered in other avian non-vocal-learners, and offer a potential configuration of brain and behaviour from which vocal learning might have evolved.

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“…4d). Caudal to nucleus ambiguous, the labelled fibres entered the respiratory pre-motor nucleus retroambigualis (RAm) 35,36 (Fig. 4e-g).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Juveniles were hand reared until independence (at post-hatching days [35][36][37][38][39][40]. Due to the limitations on the number of birds collected in the wild, some of these birds were repeatedly used for two or more experiments.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rudimentary substrates for vocal learning in a suboscine

et al. 2013

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“…From 3 to 5 days later, these birds experienced CMF conditions, followed by immediate perfusion and further tissue processing as described above. CtB immunoreactivity was detected using an appropriate antibody (21,42). It can be noted that injections of CtB into V1 do not label any cell bodies in the brain that project their axons into V1, because V1 is purely a sensory nerve.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetic field changes activate the trigeminal brainstem complex in a migratory bird

Heyers

Zapka

Hoffmeister

et al. 2010

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

117

124

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The upper beak of birds, which contains putative magnetosensory ferro-magnetic structures, is innervated by the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve (V1). However, because of the absence of replicable neurobiological evidence, a general acceptance of the involvement of the trigeminal nerve in magnetoreception is lacking in birds. Using an antibody to ZENK protein to indicate neuronal activation, we here document reliable magnetic activation of neurons in and near the principal (PrV) and spinal tract (SpV) nuclei of the trigeminal brainstem complex, which represent the two brain regions known to receive primary input from the trigeminal nerve. Significantly more neurons were activated in PrV and in medial SpV when European robins (Erithacus rubecula) experienced a magnetic field changing every 30 seconds for a period of 3 h (CMF) than when robins experienced a compensated, zero magnetic field condition (ZMF). No such differences in numbers of activated neurons were found in comparison structures. Under CMF conditions, sectioning of V1 significantly reduced the number of activated neurons in and near PrV and medial SpV, but not in lateral SpV or in the optic tectum. Tract tracing of V1 showed spatial proximity and regional overlap of V1 nerve endings and ZENK-positive (activated) neurons in SpV, and partly in PrV, under CMF conditions. Together, these results suggest that magnetic field changes activate neurons in and near the trigeminal brainstem complex and that V1 is necessary for this activation. We therefore suggest that V1 transmits magnetic information to the brain in this migratory passerine bird.bird migration | magnetic sense | magnetite | magnetoperception | magnetoreception

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“…nTS is connected to the respiratory network (nucleus parambigualis, PAm) (Wild et al, 2009). PAm has connections with the nucleus uvaeformis (Uva), which in turn is connected to HVC (neostriatal song motor control nucleus; acronym used as a proper name).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disrupting vagal feedback affects birdsong motor control

Méndez

Dall'Asén

Goller

2010

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYCoordination of different motor systems for sound production involves the use of feedback mechanisms. Song production in oscines is a well-established animal model for studying learned vocal behavior. Whereas the online use of auditory feedback has been studied in the songbird model, very little is known about the role of other feedback mechanisms. Auditory feedback is required for the maintenance of stereotyped adult song. In addition, the use of somatosensory feedback to maintain pressure during song has been demonstrated with experimentally induced fluctuations in air sac pressure. Feedback information mediating this response is thought to be routed to the central nervous system via afferent fibers of the vagus nerve. Here, we tested the effects of unilateral vagotomy on the peripheral motor patterns of song production and the acoustic features. Unilateral vagotomy caused a variety of disruptions and alterations to the respiratory pattern of song, some of which affected the acoustic structure of vocalizations. These changes were most pronounced a few days after nerve resection and varied between individuals. In the most extreme cases, the motor gestures of respiration were so severely disrupted that individual song syllables or the song motif were atypically terminated. Acoustic changes also suggest altered use of the two sound generators and upper vocal tract filtering, indicating that the disruption of vagal feedback caused changes to the motor program of all motor systems involved in song production and modification. This evidence for the use of vagal feedback by the song system with disruption of song during the first days after nerve cut provides a contrast to the longer-term effects of auditory feedback disruption. It suggests a significant role for somatosensory feedback that differs from that of auditory feedback.

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Avian nucleus retroambigualis: Cell types and projections to other respiratory‐vocal nuclei in the brain of the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata)

Cited by 44 publications

References 95 publications

Rudimentary substrates for vocal learning in a suboscine

Rudimentary substrates for vocal learning in a suboscine

Magnetic field changes activate the trigeminal brainstem complex in a migratory bird

Disrupting vagal feedback affects birdsong motor control

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