Mechanisms of Temporal Auditory Pattern Recognition in Songbirds

Gentner, Timothy Q.

doi:10.1080/15475440701225477

Cited by 12 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 77 publications

(81 reference statements)

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“…The number of these hidden states, the transitional relationships between the states and the probability with which each song element emerges from each of the states has to be estimated, which requires prior knowledge or assumptions about the nature of the states, as well as inferences about the transitional relationships between them [31]. For descriptive purpose, the n-th order Markov models and its variants are most appropriate [32]. On the other hand, the HMM can provide a powerful tool to infer neural mechanisms for song sequence generation [30,33].…”

Section: The Structure Of Animal Vocalizations (A) Vocal Variations Amentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the other hand, the HMM can provide a powerful tool to infer neural mechanisms for song sequence generation [30,33]. However, all these models are finite-state grammars and the conclusion of studies of vocal structure in birds, including those of species with extensive and elaborate singing styles such as starlings [32,34] and nightingales [3], is that neither their vocal complexity nor that of any other animal species studied to date extends beyond that of a probabilistic finite-state grammar [35] (also see Hurford [36] for further discussion).…”

Section: The Structure Of Animal Vocalizations (A) Vocal Variations Amentioning

confidence: 99%

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Revisiting the syntactic abilities of non-human animals: natural vocalizations and artificial grammar learning

Cate

Okanoya

2012

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

130

103

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The domain of syntax is seen as the core of the language faculty and as the most critical difference between animal vocalizations and language. We review evidence from spontaneously produced vocalizations as well as from perceptual experiments using artificial grammars to analyse animal syntactic abilities, i.e. abilities to produce and perceive patterns following abstract rules. Animal vocalizations consist of vocal units (elements) that are combined in a species-specific way to create higher order strings that in turn can be produced in different patterns. While these patterns differ between species, they have in common that they are no more complex than a probabilistic finite-state grammar. Experiments on the perception of artificial grammars confirm that animals can generalize and categorize vocal strings based on phonetic features. They also demonstrate that animals can learn about the co-occurrence of elements or learn simple 'rules' like attending to reduplications of units. However, these experiments do not provide strong evidence for an ability to detect abstract rules or rules beyond finite-state grammars. Nevertheless, considering the rather limited number of experiments and the difficulty to design experiments that unequivocally demonstrate more complex rule learning, the question of what animals are able to do remains open.

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Section: The Structure Of Animal Vocalizations (A) Vocal Variations Amentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Structure Of Animal Vocalizations (A) Vocal Variations Amentioning

confidence: 99%

Revisiting the syntactic abilities of non-human animals: natural vocalizations and artificial grammar learning

Cate

Okanoya

2012

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

130

103

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Song in this context likely plays a role in song learning and may function to keep flocks together (e.g., (Feare, 1984; Eens, 1997). Studies of songbirds have provided crucial insights into specific brain regions involved in the learning, production, and auditory processing of vocal behavior (for recent reviews see (Ball et al, 2008; Brainard, 2008; Brenowitz, 2008; Gentner, 2008; Nordeen and Nordeen, 2008; Theunissen et al, 2008; Wild, 2008); however, little is known about how the brain regulates vocal communication so that it occurs within an appropriate seasonal context.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal and individual variation in singing behavior correlates with alpha 2-noradrenergic receptor density in brain regions implicated in song, sexual, and social behavior

Heimovics¹,

Cornil²,

Ellis³

et al. 2011

Neuroscience

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In seasonally breeding male songbirds, both the function of song and the stimuli that elicit singing behavior change seasonally. The catecholamine norepinephrine (NE) modulates attention and arousal across behavioral states, yet the role of NE in seasonally-appropriate vocal communication has not been well-studied. The present study explored the possibility that seasonal changes in alpha 2-noradrenergic receptors (α2-R) within song control regions and brain regions implicated in sexual arousal and social behavior contribute to seasonal changes in song behavior in male European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). We quantified singing behavior in aviary housed males under spring breeding season conditions and fall conditions. α2-R were identified with the selective ligand [3H]RX821002 using autoradiographic methods. The densities of α2-R in song control regions (HVC and the robust nucleus of the arcopallium [RA]) and the lateral septum (LS) were lower in Spring Condition males. α2-R densities in the caudal portion of the medial preoptic nucleus (POM) related negatively to singing behavior. Testosterone concentrations were highest in Spring Condition males and correlated with α2-R in LS and POM. Results link persistent seasonal alterations in the structure or function of male song to seasonal changes in NE α2-Rs in HVC, RA, and LS. Individual differences in α2-R in the POM may in part explain individual differences in song production irrespective of the context in which a male is singing, perhaps through NE modification of male sexual arousal.

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“…Like the auditory system in mammals, there are thalamo-cortical projections from nucleus ovoidalis to a primary cortical region, the Field L complex (Vates et al, 1996, Theunissen et al, 2008). Parts of the Field L complex project to the caudomedial nidopallium (NCM) and the caudal mesopallium, which are distinct, but reciprocally-connected secondary cortical regions (Vates et al, 1996, Gentner, 2008). NCM indirectly connects to the vocal motor pathway through the nucleus interfacialis of the nidopallium (NIf).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Neuroestrogen signaling in the songbird auditory cortex propagates into a sensorimotor network via an ‘interface’ nucleus

Pawlisch

Remage‐Healey

2015

Neuroscience

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Neuromodulators rapidly alter activity of neural circuits and can therefore shape higher-order functions, such as sensorimotor integration. Increasing evidence suggests that brain-derived estrogens, such as 17-β-estradiol, can act rapidly to modulate sensory processing. However, less is known about how rapid estrogen signaling can impact downstream circuits. Past studies have demonstrated that estradiol levels increase within the songbird auditory cortex (the caudomedial nidopallium, NCM) during social interactions. Local estradiol signaling enhances the auditory-evoked firing rate of neurons in NCM to a variety of stimuli, while also enhancing the selectivity of auditory-evoked responses of neurons in a downstream sensorimotor brain region, HVC (proper name). Since these two brain regions are not directly connected, we employed dual extracellular recordings in HVC and the upstream nucleus interfacialis of the nidopallium (NIf) during manipulations of estradiol within NCM to better understand the pathway by which estradiol signaling propagates to downstream circuits. NIf has direct input into HVC, passing auditory information into the vocal motor output pathway, and is a possible source of the neural selectivity within HVC. Here, during acute estradiol administration in NCM, NIf neurons showed increases in baseline firing rates and auditory-evoked firing rates to all stimuli. Furthermore, when estradiol synthesis was blocked in NCM, we observed simultaneous decreases in the selectivity of NIf and HVC neurons. These effects were not due to direct estradiol actions because NIf has little to no capability for local estrogen synthesis or estrogen receptors, and these effects were specific to NIf because other neurons immediately surrounding NIf did not show these changes. Our results demonstrate that transsynaptic, rapid fluctuations in neuroestrogens are transmitted into NIf and subsequently HVC, both regions important for sensorimotor integration. Overall, these findings support the hypothesis that acute neurosteroid actions can propagate within and between neural circuits to modulate their functional connectivity.

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Mechanisms of Temporal Auditory Pattern Recognition in Songbirds

Cited by 12 publications

References 77 publications

Revisiting the syntactic abilities of non-human animals: natural vocalizations and artificial grammar learning

Revisiting the syntactic abilities of non-human animals: natural vocalizations and artificial grammar learning

Seasonal and individual variation in singing behavior correlates with alpha 2-noradrenergic receptor density in brain regions implicated in song, sexual, and social behavior

Neuroestrogen signaling in the songbird auditory cortex propagates into a sensorimotor network via an ‘interface’ nucleus

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