Unravelling the role of thyroid hormones in seasonal neuroplasticity in European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris)

Abstract

Thyroid hormones clearly play a role in the seasonal regulation of reproduction, but any role they might play in song behavior and the associated seasonal neuroplasticity in songbirds remains to be elucidated. To pursue this question, we first established seasonal patterns in the expression of thyroid hormone regulating genes in male European starlings employing in situ hybridization methods. Thyroid hormone transporter LAT1 expression in the song nucleus HVC was elevated during the photosensitive phase, pointing towards an active role of thyroid hormones during this window of possible neuroplasticity. In contrast, DIO3 expression was high in HVC during the photostimulated phase, limiting the possible effect of thyroid hormones to maintain song stability during the breeding season. Next, we studied the effect of hypothyroidism on song behavior and neuroplasticity using in vivo MRI. Hypothyroidism inhibited the photostimulation-induced increase in testosterone, confirming the role of thyroid hormones in activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Surprisingly, apart from the myelination of several tracts during the photostimulated phase, most neuroplasticity related to song production was unaffected by hypothyroidism. Remarkably, T3 plasma concentrations were negatively correlated to the microstructural changes in several song control nuclei. Potentially, a global reduction of circulating thyroid hormones during the photosensitive period is necessary to lift the brake imposed by the photorefractory period, whereas local fine-tuning of thyroid hormone concentrations through LAT1 could activate underlying neuroplasticity mechanisms. Given the complexity of thyroid hormone effects, this study is a steppingstone to disentangle the influence of thyroid hormones on seasonal neuroplasticity.