Song Lateralization in the Zebra Finch

Floody, Owen R.; Arnold, Arthur P.

doi:10.1006/hbeh.1997.1368

Cited by 51 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Overall, our results demonstrate lateralized acoustic processing in songbird NCM, adding to various reports of lateral differences observed in adult songbirds based on lesion and behavioral observations (19)(20)(21), electrophysiological recording (22,23), immediate early gene induction (24), and fMRI (25,26). Our observation of stronger absolute responses in the right hemisphere is consistent with the finding in a recent fMRI study that BOLD responses to auditory stimuli were larger in the right hemisphere than in the left (25).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Hemispheric differences in processing of vocalizations depend on early experience

Phan

Vicario

2010

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

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An intriguing phenomenon in the neurobiology of language is lateralization: the dominant role of one hemisphere in a particular function. Lateralization is not exclusive to language because lateral differences are observed in other sensory modalities, behaviors, and animal species. Despite much scientific attention, the function of lateralization, its possible dependence on experience, and the functional implications of such dependence have yet to be clearly determined. We have explored the role of early experience in the development of lateralized sensory processing in the brain, using the songbird model of vocal learning. By controlling exposure to natural vocalizations (through isolation, song tutoring, and muting), we manipulated the postnatal auditory environment of developing zebra finches, and then assessed effects on hemispheric specialization for communication sounds in adulthood. Using bilateral multielectrode recordings from a forebrain auditory area known to selectively process species-specific vocalizations, we found that auditory responses to species-typical songs and long calls, in both male and female birds, were stronger in the right hemisphere than in the left, and that right-side responses adapted more rapidly to stimulus repetition. We describe specific instances, particularly in males, where these lateral differences show an influence of auditory experience with song and/or the bird's own voice during development.auditory | development | electrophysiology | lateralization | songbird

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Hemispheric differences in processing of vocalizations depend on early experience

Phan

Vicario

2010

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

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“…Bilateral asymmetry with either left-sided or right-sided dominance, or differential dual specialization, has been previously observed in songbirds in relation to both central and peripheral control of song production (49)(50)(51)(52). As far as song perception is concerned, increased neuronal responsiveness to behaviorally relevant song stimuli has been observed in the field L complex and HVC on the right side in starlings (53,54).…”

Section: Familiar Song Stimuli Show Selective Differential Topographymentioning

confidence: 74%

Functional MRI of the zebra finch brain during song stimulation suggests a lateralized response topography

Voss

Tabelow

Polzehl

et al. 2007

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

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Electrophysiological and activity-dependent gene expression studies of birdsong have contributed to the understanding of the neural representation of natural sounds. However, we have limited knowledge about the overall spatial topography of song representation in the avian brain. Here, we adapt the noninvasive functional MRI method in mildly sedated zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) to localize and characterize song driven brain activation. Based on the blood oxygenation level-dependent signal, we observed a differential topographic responsiveness to playback of bird's own song, tutor song, conspecific song, and a pure tone as a nonsong stimulus. The bird's own song caused a stronger response than the tutor song or tone in higher auditory areas. This effect was more pronounced in the medial parts of the forebrain. We found left-right hemispheric asymmetry in sensory responses to songs, with significant discrimination between stimuli observed only in the right hemisphere. This finding suggests that perceptual responses might be lateralized in zebra finches. In addition to establishing the feasibility of functional MRI in sedated songbirds, our results demonstrate spatial coding of song in the zebra finch forebrain, based on developmental familiarity and experience.imaging ͉ learning ͉ memory B irdsong is studied as a model of vocal learning, perception, production, and motor abnormalities of speech (1, 2). There are interesting parallels between song development and speech development (3) and between auditory and vocal pathways in the songbird and human brain (4). Therefore, insights from experiments on songbirds may contribute to the understanding of auditory and vocal function in humans. For example, minimal models of speech dyspraxia (5) and dysfluencies such as stuttering are being developed in zebra finches (6). Zebra finches are capable of learning, producing, perceiving, and discriminating complex sound patterns. Birdsong in zebra finches consists of a sequence of distinctive sounds produced by males and is characterized by a consistent and reproducible acoustic profile. Song is learned by imitating the song of an adult conspecific tutor during a sensitive period of development (7-10). Recently, it has been shown that songbirds are able to learn recursive syntactic patterns, presumably a simple form of grammar (11), thus extending the potential applicability of the birdsong model to our understanding of the biological basis of languages. Several brain structures are required for learning, production, and perception of birdsong. It is known from electrophysiological studies that song learning nuclei, such as the lateral magnocellular nucleus of the anterior nidopallium (LMAN) and X (12), play an important role in song development. In parallel with song motor learning, auditory song selectivity gradually emerges during development (13-17). Robust sensory responses to auditory stimuli have been recorded in the primary auditory area in the caudal telencephalic region (field L), the caudomedial nidopallium (N...

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“…Likewise, in the animal world vocalisation is of rudimentary structure and serves mere emotional and social drives, whereas in humans, in addition to these, it also serves a far more abstract and intellectual purpose (see Corballis, 2003, and commentators). Spontaneous vocalisation in animals is more often left hemisphere specialised (see Bisazza et al, 1998, for a review), but may be right (Floody & Arnold (1997) and is usually rather weak. At best, what is comparable in animals and humans is speech rate.…”

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confidence: 99%

Evolution of hemispheric specialisation of antagonistic systems of management of the body's energy resources

Braun¹

2007

Laterality: Asymmetries of Body, Brain and Cognition

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Excellent and rich reviews of lateralised behaviour in animals have recently been published indexing renewed interest in biological theorising about hemispheric specialisation and yielding rich theory. The present review proposes a new account of the evolution of hemispheric specialisation, a primitive system of "management of the body's energy resources". This model is distinct from traditionally evoked cognitive science categories such as verbal/spatial, analytic/holistic, etc., or the current dominant neuroethological model proposing that the key is approach/avoidance behaviour. Specifically, I show that autonomic, immune, psychomotor, motivational, perceptual, and memory systems are similarly and coherently specialised in the brain hemispheres in rodents and man. This energy resource management model, extended to human neuropsychology, is termed here the "psychic tonus" model of hemispheric specialisation.

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Song Lateralization in the Zebra Finch

Cited by 51 publications

References 21 publications

Hemispheric differences in processing of vocalizations depend on early experience

Hemispheric differences in processing of vocalizations depend on early experience

Functional MRI of the zebra finch brain during song stimulation suggests a lateralized response topography

Evolution of hemispheric specialisation of antagonistic systems of management of the body's energy resources

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