scholarly journals Evidence that dopamine within motivation and song control brain regions regulates birdsong context-dependently

2008 ◽  
Vol 95 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 258-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah A. Heimovics ◽  
Lauren V. Riters
Keyword(s):  
Brain Regions ◽  
Control Brain ◽  
Song Control

scholarly journals Early nutritional stress impairs development of a song-control brain region in both male and female juvenile song sparrows ( Melospiza melodia ) at the onset of song learning

2006 ◽  
Vol 273 (1600) ◽  
pp. 2559-2564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian F MacDonald ◽  
Bethany Kempster ◽  
Liana Zanette ◽  
Scott A MacDougall-Shackleton
Keyword(s):  
Food Restriction ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Nutritional Stress ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Song Learning ◽  
Melospiza Melodia ◽  
Developmental Stress ◽  
Song Sparrows ◽  
Control Brain ◽  
Song Control

Birdsong is a sexually selected trait and is often viewed as an indicator of male quality. The developmental stress hypothesis proposes a model by which song could be an indicator; the time during early development, when birds learn complex songs and/or local variants of song, is of rapid development and nutritional stress. Birds that cope best with this stress may better learn to produce the most effective songs. The developmental stress hypothesis predicts that early food restriction should impair development of song-control brain regions at the onset of song learning. We examined the effect of food restriction on song-control brain regions in fledgling (both sexes, 23–26 days old) song sparrows ( Melospiza melodia ). Food restriction selectively reduced HVC volume in both sexes. In addition, sex differences were evident in all three song-control regions. This study lends further support to a growing body of literature documenting a variety of behavioural, physiological and neural detriments in several songbird species resulting from early developmental stress.

scholarly journals Seasonal Changes in Patterns of Gene Expression in Avian Song Control Brain Regions

PLoS ONE ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. e35119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher K. Thompson ◽  
John Meitzen ◽  
Kirstin Replogle ◽  
Jenny Drnevich ◽  
Karin L. Lent ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Control Brain ◽  
Song Control ◽  
Avian Song

Photostimulation induces rapid growth of song-control brain regions in male and female chickadees (Poecile atricapilla)

2003 ◽  
Vol 340 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott A MacDougall-Shackleton ◽  
Alexandra M Hernandez ◽  
Kenneth F Valyear ◽  
Andrew P Clark
Keyword(s):  
Rapid Growth ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Poecile Atricapilla ◽  
Control Brain ◽  
Song Control

scholarly journals Experimental exposure to urban and pink noise affects brain development and song learning in zebra finches (Taenopygia guttata)

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e2287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominique A. Potvin ◽  
Michael T. Curcio ◽  
John P. Swaddle ◽  
Scott A. MacDougall-Shackleton
Keyword(s):  
Brain Regions ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Song Learning ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Pink Noise ◽  
Urban Noise ◽  
Control Brain ◽  
Baseline Corticosterone ◽  
Generational Changes ◽  
Song Control

Recently, numerous studies have observed changes in bird vocalizations—especially song—in urban habitats. These changes are often interpreted as adaptive, since they increase the active space of the signal in its environment. However, the proximate mechanisms driving cross-generational changes in song are still unknown. We performed a captive experiment to identify whether noise experienced during development affects song learning and the development of song-control brain regions. Zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) were bred while exposed, or not exposed, to recorded traffic urban noise (Study 1) or pink noise (Study 2). We recorded the songs of male offspring and compared these to fathers’ songs. We also measured baseline corticosterone and measured the size of song-control brain regions when the males reached adulthood (Study 1 only). While male zebra finches tended to copy syllables accurately from tutors regardless of noise environment, syntax (the ordering of syllables within songs) was incorrectly copied affected by juveniles exposed to noise. Noise did not affect baseline corticosterone, but did affect the size of brain regions associated with song learning: these regions were smaller in males that had been had been exposed to recorded traffic urban noise in early development. These findings provide a possible mechanism by which noise affects behaviour, leading to potential population differences between wild animals occupying noisier urban environments compared with those in quieter habitats.

scholarly journals Use of PG-21 immunocytochemistry to detect androgen receptors in the songbird brain.

1996 ◽  
Vol 44 (9) ◽  
pp. 1075-1080 ◽  
Author(s):  
G T Smith ◽  
E A Brenowitz ◽  
G S Prins
Keyword(s):  
Androgen Receptor ◽  
Neural Plasticity ◽  
Behavioral Plasticity ◽  
Androgen Receptors ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Cell Nuclei ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Song Control System ◽  
Song Control ◽  
Avian Song

The avian song control system is an excellent model in which to study the effects of gonadal steroid hormones on neural and behavioral plasticity. Several of the brain regions that control song behavior concentrate androgens and/or estrogens. Investigations of the distribution and regulation of androgen receptors have been limited by the lack of a reliable immunocytochemical method to detect androgen receptors in the songbird brain. We describe a protocol by which the PG-21 polygonal antibody to the rat androgen receptor can be used to label androgen receptor-containing cells in the songbird brain. By treating songbirds of several species with testosterone 90 min before sacrifice and by using relatively low concentrations (0.5 0.75 microg/ml) of PG-21 antibody to reduce nonspecific background staining, we were able to obtain strong specific labeling of cell nuclei in androgen-sensitive brain regions. This technique will facilitate the study of the role of androgens in mediating neural plasticity in the avian brain. Testosterone pretreatment may also facilitate the use of this antibody to label androgen receptors in tissues from a wide array of nonmammalian species.

Annual cycle of the black-capped chickadee: Seasonality of singing rates and vocal-control brain regions

2006 ◽  
Vol 66 (9) ◽  
pp. 1002-1010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie S. Phillmore ◽  
Jennifer S. Hoshooley ◽  
David F. Sherry ◽  
Scott A. MacDougall-Shackleton
Keyword(s):  
Annual Cycle ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Control Brain ◽  
Vocal Control
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