Functional identification of sensory mechanisms required for developmental song learning.

Full Abstract

A young male zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) learns to sing by copying the vocalizations of an older tutor in a process that parallels human speech acquisition. Brain pathways that control song production are well defined, but little is known about the sites and mechanisms of tutor song memorization. Here we test the hypothesis that molecular signaling in a sensory brain area outside of the song system is required for developmental song learning. Using controlled tutoring and a pharmacological inhibitor, we transiently suppressed the extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway in a portion of the auditory forebrain specifically during tutor song exposure. On maturation, treated birds produced poor copies of tutor song, whereas controls copied the tutor song effectively. Thus the foundation of normal song learning, the formation of a sensory memory of tutor song, requires a conserved molecular pathway in a brain area that is distinct from the circuit for song motor control.

Author information

Author/s: London, Sarah E (SE); Clayton, David F (DF);

Affiliation: Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 2500N IGB, MC-195, 1206 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA. slondon(-atsign-)igb.uiuc.edu

Grants: F32 NS055413-01A2 (Agency:NINDS NIH HHS) ; NS045264 (Agency:NINDS NIH HHS) ; R01 NS051820-13 (Agency:NINDS NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

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

Journal: Nature neuroscience (Nat Neurosci), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-May; vol 11 (issue 5) : pp 579-86

Dates: Created 2008/04/25; Completed 2008/06/30; Revised 2008/10/09;

PMID: 18391944, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00)

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

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