scholarly journals An Avian Basal Ganglia-Forebrain Circuit Contributes Differentially to Syllable Versus Sequence Variability of Adult Bengalese Finch Song

2009 ◽  
Vol 101 (6) ◽  
pp. 3235-3245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cara M. Hampton ◽  
Jon T. Sakata ◽  
Michael S. Brainard
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Syllable Structure ◽  
Skill Learning ◽  
Behavioral Variability ◽  
Neural Pathways ◽  
Sequence Variability ◽  
Social Modulation ◽  
The Social ◽  
Learned Behaviors ◽  
Magnocellular Nucleus

Behavioral variability is important for motor skill learning but continues to be present and actively regulated even in well-learned behaviors. In adult songbirds, two types of song variability can persist and are modulated by social context: variability in syllable structure and variability in syllable sequencing. The degree to which the control of both types of adult variability is shared or distinct remains unknown. The output of a basal ganglia-forebrain circuit, LMAN (the lateral magnocellular nucleus of the anterior nidopallium), has been implicated in song variability. For example, in adult zebra finches, neurons in LMAN actively control the variability of syllable structure. It is unclear, however, whether LMAN contributes to variability in adult syllable sequencing because sequence variability in adult zebra finch song is minimal. In contrast, Bengalese finches retain variability in both syllable structure and syllable sequencing into adulthood. We analyzed the effects of LMAN lesions on the variability of syllable structure and sequencing and on the social modulation of these forms of variability in adult Bengalese finches. We found that lesions of LMAN significantly reduced the variability of syllable structure but not of syllable sequencing. We also found that LMAN lesions eliminated the social modulation of the variability of syllable structure but did not detect significant effects on the modulation of sequence variability. These results show that LMAN contributes differentially to syllable versus sequence variability of adult song and suggest that these forms of variability are regulated by distinct neural pathways.

scholarly journals Lesions of an Avian Basal Ganglia Circuit Prevent Context-Dependent Changes to Song Variability

2006 ◽  
Vol 96 (3) ◽  
pp. 1441-1455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mimi H. Kao ◽  
Michael S. Brainard
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Neural Substrates ◽  
Syllable Structure ◽  
Courtship Song ◽  
Vocal Performance ◽  
Social Modulation ◽  
Anterior Forebrain ◽  
Magnocellular Nucleus ◽  
The Moment

Trial-by-trial variability is important in feedback-based motor learning. Variation in motor output enables evaluation mechanisms to differentially reinforce patterns of motor activity that produce desired behaviors. Here, we studied neural substrates of variability in the performance of adult birdsong, a complex, learned motor skill used for courtship. Song performance is more variable when male birds sing alone (undirected) than when they sing to females (directed). We test the role of the anterior forebrain pathway (AFP), an avian basal ganglia–forebrain circuit, in this socially driven modulation of song variability. We show that lesions of the lateral magnocellular nucleus of the anterior nidopallium (LMAN), the output nucleus of the AFP, cause a reduction in the moment-by-moment variability in syllable structure during undirected song to the level present during directed song. This elimination of song modulation is immediate and long-lasting. We further show that the degree of syllable variability and its modulation are both attenuated in older birds, in concert with decreased variability of LMAN activity in these birds. In contrast to the requirement of LMAN for social modulation of syllable structure, we find that LMAN is not required for modulation of other features of song, such as the number of introductory elements and motif repetitions and the ordering of syllables or for other motor and motivational aspects of courtship. Our findings suggest that a key function of avian basal ganglia circuitry is to regulate vocal performance and plasticity by specifically modulating moment-by-moment variability in the structure of individual song elements.

New roles for dopamine in motor skill acquisition: Lessons from primates, rodents, and songbirds

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alynda N Wood
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Motor Learning ◽  
Associative Learning ◽  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Motor Skill ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Skill Learning ◽  
Motor Skill Acquisition ◽  
Model Free ◽  
Species Comparisons

Motor learning is a core aspect of human life, and appears to be ubiquitous throughout the animal kingdom. Dopamine, a neuromodulator with a multifaceted role in synaptic plasticity, may be a key signaling molecule for motor skill learning. Though typically studied in the context of reward-based associative learning, dopamine appears to be necessary for some types of motor learning. Mesencephalic dopamine structures are highly conserved among vertebrates, as are some of their primary targets within the basal ganglia, a subcortical circuit important for motor learning and motor control. With a focus on the benefits of cross-species comparisons, this review examines how "model-free" and "model-based" computational frameworks for understanding dopamine's role in associative learning may be applied to motor learning. The hypotheses that dopamine could drive motor learning either by functioning as a reward prediction error, through passive facilitating of normal basal ganglia activity, or through other mechanisms are examined in light of new studies using humans, rodents, and songbirds. Additionally, new paradigms that could enhance our understanding of dopamine's role in motor learning by bridging the gap between the theoretical literature on motor learning in humans and other species are discussed.

Disorders of movement

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cris S. Constantinescu ◽  
Fahd Baig
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Cortex ◽  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Movement Disorders ◽  
Neural Pathways ◽  
Subcortical Structures ◽  
Clinical Presentations

The neural pathways that control movement involve several structures, from the cerebral cortex through to the muscle. This allows for the maintenance of tone, posture, and volitional movement. Disruption of subcortical structures which modulate these pathways (such as the basal ganglia) can cause a variety of clinical presentations collectively termed movement disorders. They can be simply divided into hypokinetic disorders (e.g. parkinsonism) and hyperkinetic disorders.

Study regarding the role played by exercise in developing the lung capacity in teenagers with Down syndrome

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (8) ◽  
pp. 246-252
Author(s):  
Slicaru Adina Camelia
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Motor Skills ◽  
Social Skill ◽  
Skill Learning ◽  
Team Work ◽  
Motor Skill Learning ◽  
Lung Capacity ◽  
Respiratory Parameters ◽  
The Social ◽  
Before And After

This research aims to study the respiratory modifications that happen after exercising in teenagers with Down syndrome (DS). The research is based on the pathophysiological theoretical notions regarding DS and theoretical–methodical notions of exercise. The study was conducted over 6 months, in the gym of the Faculty of Movement, Sports, and Health Sciences, on 20 subjects. Exercising was used as an instrument to reach several objectives, such as team work, motor skill learning and the reeducation of respiration. To reach these objectives, exercising was used as individual and team play, and to identify the modifications in the studied parameters, several methods were used: a social skill questionnaire and the monitoring of pulse and respiratory rate before and after exercising. The results of the study have demonstrated an improvement in the respiratory parameters, a consolidation of the motor skills and a development of the social skills. Keywords: Down syndrome, physical exercise, lung capacity.

scholarly journals Forebrain circuits underlying the social modulation of vocal communication signals

2015 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura E. Matheson ◽  
Herie Sun ◽  
Jon T. Sakata
Keyword(s):  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Communication Signals ◽  
Social Modulation ◽  
The Social

Motor learning in children with spina bifida: Intact learning and performance on a ballistic task

2006 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 598-608 ◽  
Author(s):  
MAUREEN DENNIS ◽  
DERRYN JEWELL ◽  
KIM EDELSTEIN ◽  
MICHAEL E. BRANDT ◽  
ROSS HETHERINGTON ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Spina Bifida ◽  
Gray Matter ◽  
Error Rate ◽  
Arm Movement ◽  
Skill Learning ◽  
Adult Brain ◽  
Spinal Lesions ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Learning And Performance

Learning and performance on a ballistic task were investigated in children with spina bifida meningomyelocele (SBM), with either upper level spinal lesions (n= 21) or lower level spinal lesions (n= 81), and in typically developing controls (n= 35). Participants completed three phases (20 trials each) of an elbow goniometer task that required a ballistic arm movement to move a cursor to one of two target positions on a screen, including (1) an initiallearningphase, (2) anadaptationphase with a gain change such that recalibration of the ballistic arm movement was required, and (3) alearning reactivationphase under the original gain condition. Initial error rate, asymptotic error rate, and learning rate did not differ significantly between the SBM and control groups. Relative to controls, the SBM group had reduced volumes in the cerebellar hemispheres and pericallosal gray matter (the region including the basal ganglia), although only the pericallosal gray matter was significantly correlated with motor adaptation. Congenital cerebellar dysmorphology is associated with preserved motor skill learning on voluntary, nonreflexive tasks in children with SBM, in whom the relative roles of the cerebellum and basal ganglia may differ from those in the adult brain. (JINS, 2006,12, 598–608.)

scholarly journals Two-Mode Models of Self-Regulation as a Tool for Conceptualizing Effects of the Serotonin System in Normal Behavior and Diverse Disorders

2009 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 195-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles S. Carver ◽  
Sheri L. Johnson ◽  
Jutta Joormann
Keyword(s):  
Lower Order ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Dual Process ◽  
Order System ◽  
Behavioral Variability ◽  
Neural Pathways ◽  
Serotonin System ◽  
Serotonergic Function ◽  
Lower Order System

The serotonin system is a collection of neural pathways whose overall level of functioning (from low to high) relates to diverse kinds of psychological and behavioral variability. Individual differences in serotonergic function are important both in personality and in vulnerability to psychological disorders. These disorders range widely—from impulsive aggression to depression. One way to understand such diverse reflections of differences in serotonergic function is by viewing serotonergic function through the lens of two-mode (or dual-process) models of self-regulation. Such theories posit a lower-order system that responds quickly to associative cues of the moment and a higher-order system that responds reflectively and planfully. Low serotonergic function appears to enhance influence of the lower-order system. This often yields impulsive reactivity. Why, then, does low serotonergic function also relate to depression, which is characterized by lethargy and unresponsiveness? The answer must be that ascendance of the lower system interacts with other factors. One hypothesis is that low serotonergic function plus high sensitivity to incentives yields vulnerability to impulsive approach, whereas low serotonergic function plus low incentive sensitivity yields vulnerability to depression. Conceptualizing serotonergic function this way helps integrate information pertaining to very different disorders into a coherent picture.

scholarly journals Cortico-basal-ganglia communication: Temporally structured activity for selective motor control

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra Fischer ◽  
Witold Lipski ◽  
Wolf-Julian Neumann ◽  
Robert Sterling Turner ◽  
Pascal Fries ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Control ◽  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Firing Rate ◽  
Structural Connectivity ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Spike Timing ◽  
List Type ◽  
Gamma Phase ◽  
Neural Pathways ◽  
Phase Coupling

AbstractDespite the hard-wired structural connectivity of neural pathways, neural circuits allow context-dependent reactions to sensory cues by triggering the desired movement. Cortico-basal-ganglia circuits seem particularly important for flexible motor control as this is impaired in Parkinson’s disease (PD). We analysed subthalamic nucleus (STN) spike and cortical ECoG activity from PD patients performing a visually-cued hand grip task. Fast reaction times were preceded by enhanced STN spike-to-cortical gamma phase coupling irrespective of firing rate changes, suggesting a role of gamma coupling in motor preparation. STN spike timing was offset by half a cycle when comparing ipsilateral with contralateral movements. Additionally, cortical high-frequency activity increased more steeply within each gamma cycle at the sites that showed the strongest coupling with STN spikes. Cortico-basal-ganglia gamma coupling may thus help shape neural activity to facilitate selective motor control. The observation that this effect occurs independent of changes in mean firing rate has far-reaching implications.HighlightsFast RTs were preceded by enhanced STN spike-to-cortical gamma phase couplingSTN spike probability was significantly modulated relative to the gamma cycleDuring ipsilateral movement, spikes were more likely at the opposite part of the cycleSTN output may thus help shape cortical gamma for selective motor control

Personality and Social InteractionInterpenetrating Processes

2012 ◽  
pp. 445-466
Author(s):  
Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton ◽  
Özlem Ayduk ◽  
Jordan B. Leitner
Keyword(s):  
Social Relationships ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Behavioral Variability ◽  
Internal Characteristic ◽  
The Social ◽  
Central Tenet ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Development Structure ◽  
Constructivist Approaches ◽  
Personality System

A central tenet of social constructivist approaches to personality is that people’s social relationships determine the development, structure, and expression of personality. This view has been difficult to reconcile with a widely accepted view among researchers and lay perceivers alike that personality consists of internal, characteristic dispositions that supersede particular relationships. Research within the social cognitive tradition provides an opportunity to integrate these ideas by suggesting that (1) behavioral variability across situations is stable, and is an important expression of the personality system; and (2) the stability and predictability of behavioral variability is readily discovered when situations are categorized in interpersonal terms. We describe a recent theoretical framework proposing a culturally and interpersonally bound personality system (Mendoza-Denton & Mischel, 2007) that accounts for the ways in which people’s behavior is attuned to the interpersonal context, and review several lines of research that are consistent with the principles of this general framework.

scholarly journals The facial expression of pain in humans considered from a social perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 374 (1785) ◽  
pp. 20190284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Kappesser
Keyword(s):  
Social Context ◽  
Facial Expression ◽  
Evolutionary Psychology ◽  
Facial Pain ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Comprehensive Approach ◽  
Methodological Issues ◽  
Social Modulation ◽  
The Social ◽  
Pain Expression

The social modulation of pain in humans has been neglected so far with respect to verbal as well as non-verbal communication of pain. The facial pain expression is a powerful way to communicate pain, and there are some theoretical accounts available on how social modulation may affect the encoding of the facial expression of pain. Some accounts, particularly in the pain field, are proximate explanations on the mechanisms involved, whereas an evolutionary psychology account takes a more comprehensive approach. A review of nine experimental studies revealed that in the majority of studies (6/9), social context had an effect on the facial pain expression, but results were inconsistent. Several conceptual and methodological issues are discussed which may explain these inconsistencies and could help in design of future experimental studies. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue ‘Evolution of mechanisms and behaviour important for pain’.

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