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

AbstractMale zebra finches reared by both parents were placed in isolation from day 35 to day 70 of life, the sensitive phase for song learning, and exposed to a singing adult male thereafter. Half the birds were stimulated to practice by a tape of birdroom noise during their period in isolation, and the practice of all birds was monitored. Those that were stimulated did practice more during the period when the tape was on, but the overall amount of practice in both groups was very high, rising to occur in 60-80% of all 10 min monitoring sessions after 50 days of age. Individual differences were considerable. In the unstimulated group, there was some suggestion that birds which practised more had achieved greater song stereotypy on one measure by day 70. However, the hypothesis that birds which practised more would be more likely to develop copies of their fathers' songs was not supported. Instead, the final song of birds in both groups was clearly based on that of the tutor introduced at 70 days. While the results point to a great deal of practice by young zebra finches, they do not suggest that greater practice leads to earlier crystallisation of song or increases the likelihood of copying songs heard earlier.

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

Behavioral Neuroscience ◽

10.1037/bne0000362 ◽

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

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

Animal Cognition ◽

10.1007/s10071-021-01547-8 ◽

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.

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

Animal Behaviour ◽

10.1016/0003-3472(89)90097-3 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 37 ◽

pp. 507-508 ◽

Cited By ~ 82

Author(s):

Lucy A. Eales

Keyword(s):

Song Learning ◽

Zebra Finches

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FoxP2 isoforms delineate spatiotemporal transcriptional networks for vocal learning in the zebra finch

eLife ◽

10.7554/elife.30649 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Zachary Daniel Burkett ◽

Nancy F Day ◽

Todd Haswell Kimball ◽

Caitlin M Aamodt ◽

Jonathan B Heston ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vocal Learning ◽

Transcriptional Networks ◽

Zebra Finches ◽

Rna Seq ◽

Song Development ◽

Gene Modules ◽

Area X ◽

First Time ◽

Vocal Variability ◽

Coexpression Network Analysis

Human speech is one of the few examples of vocal learning among mammals yet ~half of avian species exhibit this ability. Its neurogenetic basis is largely unknown beyond a shared requirement for FoxP2 in both humans and zebra finches. We manipulated FoxP2 isoforms in Area X, a song-specific region of the avian striatopallidum analogous to human anterior striatum, during a critical period for song development. We delineate, for the first time, unique contributions of each isoform to vocal learning. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis of RNA-seq data revealed gene modules correlated to singing, learning, or vocal variability. Coexpression related to singing was found in juvenile and adult Area X whereas coexpression correlated to learning was unique to juveniles. The confluence of learning and singing coexpression in juvenile Area X may underscore molecular processes that drive vocal learning in young zebra finches and, by analogy, humans.

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The effects of castration on song development in zebra finches (Poephila guttata)

Journal of Experimental Zoology ◽

10.1002/jez.1401910212 ◽

1975 ◽

Vol 191 (2) ◽

pp. 261-277 ◽

Cited By ~ 133

Author(s):

Arthur P. Arnold

Keyword(s):

Zebra Finches ◽

Poephila Guttata ◽

Song Development

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

Nature ◽

10.1038/334149a0 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 334 (6178) ◽

pp. 149-151 ◽

Cited By ~ 133

Author(s):

Kathy W. Nordeen ◽

Ernest J. Nordeen

Keyword(s):

Song Learning ◽

Projection Neurons ◽

Zebra Finches ◽

Motor Pathway

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

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.01212.2007 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 100 (1) ◽

pp. 8-18 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

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.

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