Neuroscience 2005 Abstract
Presentation Number: | 1002.16 |
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Abstract Title: | Functional magnetic resonance imaging of the zebra finch auditory forebrain during exposure to original and altered versions of the bird’s own song. |
Authors: |
Boumans, T.*1
; Vandersmissen, L.1
; Gobes, S. M. H.2
; Verhoye, M.1
; Bolhuis, J. J.2
; Theunissen, F.3
; Van der Linden, A.1
1Bio.-Imaging Lab, Univ. of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium 2Netherlands, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, 3Behavioral Biology, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, |
Primary Theme and Topics |
Cognition and Behavior - Animal Cognition and Behavior -- Cognitive learning and memory systems |
Secondary Theme and Topics | Cognition and Behavior<br />- Neuroethology<br />-- Vocal/social communication |
Session: |
1002. Bird Song III Poster |
Presentation Time: | Wednesday, November 16, 2005 4:00 PM-5:00 PM |
Location: | Washington Convention Center - Hall A-C, Board # NN29 |
Keywords: | SONGBIRD, NCM, SONG, BOLD |
Zebra finch males learn their songs from an adult tutor early in life. Tutor song-induced neuronal activation in the caudomedial nidopallium (NCM) in male zebra finches is related to the strength of song learning. Neurons in the NCM are also responsive to the playback of bird’s own song (BOS) as well as conspecific song. To determine which acoustic features are relevant for song responsiveness in the NCM, we used blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) fMRI to investigate the neuronal activation induced by sound presentation. Previous work from our group (Neuroimage, 25, 1242-55) demonstrated that BOLD fMRI is able to reveal brain activity in the NCM upon hearing conspecific song or music. In the present study we measured the BOLD response in Field L and in the NCM in 5 anaesthetized male zebra finches during presentation of BOS, song composed of randomly ordered syllables of the bird’s repertoire, reversed BOS, synthetic sounds with power and spectro-temporal modulation spectra matched to BOS (song ripples), conspecific song and white noise.
The significant BOLD response in the NCM to presentation of BOS disappeared when the birds were exposed to white noise, reversed or random BOS. Regression analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between the sequential match of syllables found in zebra finch song and the BOLD response to the auditory stimulus in the NCM, whereas the percentage similarity to BOS (based on pitch, frequency and amplitude modulation, goodness-of-pitch and Wiener entropy) showed a negative trend with the NCM BOLD response. These results suggest that NCM is selective for natural syllable sequence in the presented sound, while there is no preferential responsiveness to songs with the precise spectro-temporal features of BOS.
The significant BOLD response in the NCM to presentation of BOS disappeared when the birds were exposed to white noise, reversed or random BOS. Regression analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between the sequential match of syllables found in zebra finch song and the BOLD response to the auditory stimulus in the NCM, whereas the percentage similarity to BOS (based on pitch, frequency and amplitude modulation, goodness-of-pitch and Wiener entropy) showed a negative trend with the NCM BOLD response. These results suggest that NCM is selective for natural syllable sequence in the presented sound, while there is no preferential responsiveness to songs with the precise spectro-temporal features of BOS.
Supported by FWO-Flanders
Sample Citation:
[Authors]. [Abstract Title]. Program No. XXX.XX. 2005 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. Washington, DC: Society for Neuroscience, 2005. Online.
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