The influences of visual and vocal interaction on song learning in Zebra finches

1989 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
pp. 507-508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy A. Eales
Keyword(s):  
Song Learning ◽  
Zebra Finches

Early life nutritional stress affects song learning but not underlying neural circuitry in zebra finches.

2020 ◽  
Vol 134 (3) ◽  
pp. 222-232
Author(s):  
Khulganaa Buyannemekh ◽  
Jessica B. Zito ◽  
Michelle L. Tomaszycki
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
Nutritional Stress ◽  
Neural Circuitry ◽  
Song Learning ◽  
Zebra Finches

scholarly journals Adding colour-realistic video images to audio playbacks increases stimulus engagement but does not enhance vocal learning in zebra finches

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith M. Varkevisser ◽  
Ralph Simon ◽  
Ezequiel Mendoza ◽  
Martin How ◽  
Idse van Hijlkema ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cues ◽  
Sound Production ◽  
Visual Stimuli ◽  
Vocal Learning ◽  
Song Learning ◽  
Frame Rate ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Video Content ◽  
Biologically Relevant ◽  
Video Images

AbstractBird song and human speech are learned early in life and for both cases engagement with live social tutors generally leads to better learning outcomes than passive audio-only exposure. Real-world tutor–tutee relations are normally not uni- but multimodal and observations suggest that visual cues related to sound production might enhance vocal learning. We tested this hypothesis by pairing appropriate, colour-realistic, high frame-rate videos of a singing adult male zebra finch tutor with song playbacks and presenting these stimuli to juvenile zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Juveniles exposed to song playbacks combined with video presentation of a singing bird approached the stimulus more often and spent more time close to it than juveniles exposed to audio playback only or audio playback combined with pixelated and time-reversed videos. However, higher engagement with the realistic audio–visual stimuli was not predictive of better song learning. Thus, although multimodality increased stimulus engagement and biologically relevant video content was more salient than colour and movement equivalent videos, the higher engagement with the realistic audio–visual stimuli did not lead to enhanced vocal learning. Whether the lack of three-dimensionality of a video tutor and/or the lack of meaningful social interaction make them less suitable for facilitating song learning than audio–visual exposure to a live tutor remains to be tested.

Projection neurons within a vocal motor pathway are born during song learning in zebra finches

Nature ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 334 (6178) ◽  
pp. 149-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathy W. Nordeen ◽  
Ernest J. Nordeen
Keyword(s):  
Song Learning ◽  
Projection Neurons ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Motor Pathway

scholarly journals Noradrenergic and GABAB Receptor Activation Differentially Modulate Inputs to the Premotor Nucleus RA in Zebra Finches

2008 ◽  
Vol 100 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Max Sizemore ◽  
David J. Perkel
Keyword(s):  
Gabab Receptor ◽  
Cell Voltage ◽  
Receptor Activation ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Excitatory Input ◽  
Song Learning ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Proper Name ◽  
Magnocellular Nucleus

Neuromodulators can rapidly modify neural circuits, altering behavior. Songbirds provide an excellent system for studying the role of neuromodulation in modifying circuits that underlie behavior because song learning and production are mediated by a discrete set of interconnected nuclei. We examined the neuromodulatory effects of noradrenergic and GABAB receptor activation on synaptic inputs to the premotor robust nucleus of the arcopallium (RA) in zebra finches using whole cell voltage-clamp recording in vitro. In adults, norepinephrine strongly reduced input from the lateral magnocellular nucleus of the anterior nidopallium (LMAN) but only slightly reduced the input from nucleus HVC (proper name), the excitatory input from axon collaterals of other RA neurons, and input from GABAergic interneurons. The effect of norepinephrine was mimicked by the α2 adrenoceptor agonist UK14,304 and blocked by the α2 antagonist yohimbine. Conversely, the GABAB receptor agonist baclofen strongly decreased HVC, collateral, and GABAergic inputs to RA neurons while causing little reduction in the LMAN input. In juveniles undergoing song learning, norepinephrine reduced the LMAN input, caused only a small reduction in the HVC input, and greatly reduced the collateral and GABAergic inputs. Baclofen caused similar results in juvenile and adult birds, reducing HVC, collateral, and GABAergic inputs significantly more than the LMAN input. Significant increases in paired-pulse ratio accompanied all reductions in synaptic transmission, suggesting a presynaptic locus. The reduction in the LMAN input by norepinephrine may be important for mediating changes in song elicited by different social contexts and is well-placed to play a role in song learning.

Maximized song learning of juvenile male zebra finches following BDNF expression in the HVC

2013 ◽  
Vol 38 (9) ◽  
pp. 3338-3344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Falk Dittrich ◽  
Andries ter Maat ◽  
Rene F. Jansen ◽  
Anton Pieneman ◽  
Moritz Hertel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Song Learning ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Juvenile Male ◽  
Bdnf Expression

Localized immediate early gene expression related to the strength of song learning in socially reared zebra finches

2001 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 2165-2170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan J. Bolhuis ◽  
Elske Hetebrij ◽  
Ardie M. Den Boer-Visser ◽  
Jurriaan H. De Groot ◽  
Guus G. O. Zijlstra
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Immediate Early Gene ◽  
Song Learning ◽  
Early Gene ◽  
Immediate Early ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Early Gene Expression

Long-term maintenance of song in adult zebra finches is not affected by lesions of a forebrain region involved in song learning

1993 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathy W. Nordeen ◽  
Ernest J. Nordeen
Keyword(s):  
Song Learning ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Term Maintenance

Do stimulus-stimulus contingencies affect song learning in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata)?

1999 ◽  
Vol 113 (3) ◽  
pp. 235-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bart B. Houx ◽  
Carel ten Cate
Keyword(s):  
Taeniopygia Guttata ◽  
Song Learning ◽  
Zebra Finches

Slow NMDA-EPSCs at synapses critical for song development are not required for song learning in zebra finches

10.1038/74857 ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 482-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederick S. Livingston ◽  
Stephanie A. White ◽  
Richard Mooney
Keyword(s):  
Song Learning ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Song Development

scholarly journals Song preferences predict the quality of vocal learning in zebra finches

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos A. Rodriguez-Saltos ◽  
Aditya Bhise ◽  
Prasanna Karur ◽  
Ramsha Nabihah Khan ◽  
Sumin Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reinforcement Schedule ◽  
Social Process ◽  
Vocal Learning ◽  
Song Learning ◽  
Sensitive Period ◽  
Social Reward ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Vocal Development ◽  
Song Preferences

In songbirds, learning to sing is a highly social process that likely involves social reward. Here, we hypothesized that the degree to which a juvenile songbird learns a song depends on the degree to which it finds that song rewarding to hear during vocal development. We tested this hypothesis by measuring song preferences in young birds during song learning and then analyzing their adult songs. Song preferences were measured in an operant key-pressing assay. Juvenile male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) had access to two keys, each of which was associated with a higher likelihood of playing the song of their father or that of another familiar adult ("neighbor"). To minimize the effects of exposure on learning, we implemented a reinforcement schedule that allowed us to detect preferences while balancing exposure to each song. On average, the juveniles significantly preferred the father's song early during song learning, before they were themselves singing. At around post-hatch day 60, their preference shifted to the neighbor's song. At the end of the song learning period, we recorded the juveniles' songs and compared them to the father's and the neighbor's song. All of the birds copied father's song. The accuracy with which the father's song was imitated was positively correlated with the peak strength of the preference for the father's song during the sensitive period. Our results show that preference for a social stimulus, in this case a vocalization, predicted social learning during development.

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