HVC neural sleep activity increases with development and parallels nightly changes in song behavior.

Full Abstract

Sleep abnormalities are coexpressed with human communication disorders. Recent data from the birdsong system, the best model for human speech, indicate that sleep has a critical role in vocal learning. To understand the neural mechanisms that underlie behavioral changes during sleep, we recorded sleep activity in the song control area HVC longitudinally during song development in zebra finches. We focused on the sensorimotor phase of song learning, when the finch shapes his song behavior toward a learned tutor song model. Direct comparison of sleep activity in adults and juveniles revealed that the juvenile HVC has a lower spike rate and longer silent periods than the adult. Within individual finches, sleep silent periods decreased and spike rate increased with age. We next systematically compared neural sleep activity and song behavior. We now report that spike rate during sleep was significantly correlated with overnight changes in song behavior. Collectively, these data indicate that sleep activity in the vocal control area HVC increases with age and may affect song behavior.

Author information

Author/s: Crandall, Shane R (SR); Adam, Murtaza (M); Kinnischtzke, Amanda K (AK); Nick, Teresa A (TA);

Affiliation: University of Minnesota, Department of Neuroscience and Center for Neurobehavioral Development, 6-145 Jackson Hall, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.

Grants: K02 DC008521 (Agency:NIDCD NIH HHS) ; K02 DC008521-01 (Agency:NIDCD NIH HHS) ; R01 DC007384 (Agency:NIDCD NIH HHS) ; R01 DC007384-01A1 (Agency:NIDCD NIH HHS) ; R01 DC007384-02 (Agency:NIDCD NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Journal of neurophysiology (J Neurophysiol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Jul; vol 98 (issue 1) : pp 232-40

Dates: Created 2007/07/11; Completed 2007/10/02; Revised 2008/11/20;

PMID: 17428907, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

Comments and Corrections

CommentIn: J Neurophysiol. 2007 Jul;98(1):3-4. (PMID: 17475721)

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