Neuroscience 2005 Abstract
| Presentation Number: | 1002.17 |
|---|---|
| Abstract Title: | Evidence for a new <i>in vivo</i> tool in birdbrain research: functional magnetic resonance imaging validated with genic activation (ZENK) in response to degraded species-specific song. |
| Authors: |
Van der Linden, A.*1
; Boumans, T.1
; Vignal, C.3,4
; Smolders, A.2
; Verhoye, M.1
; Mathevon, N.4
1Bio.-Imaging Lab, Univ. of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium 2Vision Lab, Univ. of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium 3France, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, 4LTSI CNRS, 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 1:00 PM-2:00 PM |
| Location: | Washington Convention Center - Hall A-C, Board # NN29 |
| Keywords: | SONGBIRD, NCM, AUDITORY, BOLD |
The present study aims to verify and validate fMRI as a new in-vivo tool for neuro-cognitive research on songbirds. Specialized brain structures allow songbirds to recognize acoustic signals, and allow them to communicate in spite of their natural noisy environment. One of these brain areas, the caudomedial nidopallium (NCM), shows a significant immediate-early-gene ZENK response when a bird hears a species-specific song. NCM is thought to extract biologically relevant information in the acoustic signal, for instance the species-specific identity, and to transmit this information to other brain structures. Background noise can be an obstacle to the successful perception of significant information in acoustic signals. Vignal et al. (Behav Brain Res, 153, 241-48) demonstrated that the song-induced genic activation in the NCM remains stable against very high levels of a broadband masking noise, as far as the stimuli elicited a behavioral response (i.e. signal recognition remains possible for the bird). A previous study from our group demonstrated that blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) fMRI is able to reveal brain activity in the NCM upon hearing conspecific song or music (Van Meir et al., 2005, Neuroimage, 25, 1242-55). In the present study we investigated the activation in the NCM of four adult male zebra finches using BOLD fMRI during playback of the same species-specific signals mixed with different levels of broadband noise as used in the study of Vignal et al. It was shown that the stimuli that elicited a genic activation in the NCM, also elicited a significant fMRI activation in the NCM. We can conclude that fMRI can be used as an accurate in-vivo method to probe acoustically induced brain activity in the small zebra finch brain and to interpret functionality of brain regions and networks.
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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