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.

Corticosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone have opposing effects on adult neuroplasticity in the avian song control system

2010 ◽  
Vol 518 (18) ◽  
pp. 3662-3678 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy E.M. Newman ◽  
Scott A. MacDougall-Shackleton ◽  
Yong-Seok An ◽  
Buddhamas Kriengwatana ◽  
Kiran K. Soma
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Song Control System ◽  
Song Control ◽  
Opposing Effects ◽  
Avian Song

scholarly journals Postsynaptic neural activity regulates neuronal addition in the adult avian song control system

2013 ◽  
Vol 110 (41) ◽  
pp. 16640-16644 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. A. Larson ◽  
T.-W. Wang ◽  
S. D. Gale ◽  
K. E. Miller ◽  
N. M. Thatra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Neural Activity ◽  
Song Control System ◽  
Song Control ◽  
Avian Song

scholarly journals Mechanisms of recognition in birds and social Hymenoptera: from detection to information processing

2020 ◽  
Vol 375 (1802) ◽  
pp. 20190483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natacha Rossi ◽  
Sébastien Derégnaucourt
Keyword(s):  
Individual Recognition ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Mate Recognition ◽  
Social Hymenoptera ◽  
Song Control System ◽  
Recognition Systems ◽  
Song Control ◽  
Avian Song ◽  
Evolving Models ◽  
Nest Mate Recognition

In this opinion piece, we briefly review our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying auditory individual recognition in birds and chemical nest-mate recognition in social Hymenoptera. We argue that even though detection and perception of recognition cues are well studied in social Hymenoptera, the neural mechanisms remain a black box. We compare our knowledge of these insect systems with that of the well-studied avian ‘song control system’. We suggest that future studies on recognition should focus on the hypothesis of a distributed template instead of trying to locate the seat of the template as recent results do not seem to point in that direction. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Signal detection theory in recognition systems: from evolving models to experimental tests’.

scholarly journals Timing of perineuronal net development in the zebra finch song control system correlates with developmental song learning

2018 ◽  
Vol 285 (1883) ◽  
pp. 20180849 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilles Cornez ◽  
Elisabeth Jonckers ◽  
Sita M. ter Haar ◽  
Annemie Van der Linden ◽  
Charlotte A. Cornil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Neural Plasticity ◽  
Ocular Dominance ◽  
Song Learning ◽  
Dominance Model ◽  
Perineuronal Net ◽  
Acoustic Environment ◽  
Auditory Forebrain ◽  
Song Control System ◽  
Song Control

The appearance of perineuronal nets (PNNs) represents one of the mechanisms that contribute to the closing of sensitive periods for neural plasticity. This relationship has mostly been studied in the ocular dominance model in rodents. Previous studies also indicated that PNN might control neural plasticity in the song control system of songbirds. To further elucidate this relationship, we quantified PNN expression and their localization around parvalbumin interneurons at key time-points during ontogeny in both male and female zebra finches, and correlated these data with the well-described development of song in this species. We also extended these analyses to the auditory system. The development of PNN during ontogeny correlated with song crystallization although the timing of PNN appearance in the four main telencephalic song control nuclei slightly varied between nuclei in agreement with the established role these nuclei play during song learning. Our data also indicate that very few PNN develop in the secondary auditory forebrain areas even in adult birds, which may allow constant adaptation to a changing acoustic environment by allowing synaptic reorganization during adulthood.

A test of absolute photorefractoriness and photo-induced neural plasticity of song-control regions in black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus)

2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (5) ◽  
pp. 747-753 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie S Phillmore ◽  
Jennifer S Hoshooley ◽  
Thomas P Hahn ◽  
Scott A MacDougall-Shackleton
Keyword(s):  
Neural Plasticity ◽  
Constant Light ◽  
Poecile Atricapillus ◽  
Long Day ◽  
Song Control Nuclei ◽  
Song Control System ◽  
Song Control ◽  
Area X ◽  
Gonadal Condition ◽  
Short Days

We tested whether male and female black-capped chickadees, Poecile atricapillus (L., 1766), were absolutely photorefractory according to Hamner's (1968) criteria of (i) spontaneous regression of gonads during prolonged long-day exposure and (ii) no subsequent recrudescence of gonads in response to constant light. We initially exposed black-capped chickadees to constant long-day photoperiods. Gonads regressed spontaneously, demonstrating that the birds met Hamner's first criterion for absolute photorefractoriness. Once their gonads fully regressed and the birds were in advanced prebasic moult, we exposed them to one of three photoperiods for an additional 2 weeks: constant light (24 h L), short days (8 h L), and controls (15 h L). Constant light challenge had no effect on gonadal condition or rate of moult, confirming that the birds met Hamner's second criterion for absolute refractoriness. We also compared volumes of song-control nuclei in the three groups and found that males overall had larger HVC, robust nucleus of arcopallium, and area X than females, but that longer days (24 h L) did not increase volumes and that shorter days (8 h L) did not decrease volumes compared with controls (15 h L). These data support the inference that black-capped chickadees do indeed become absolutely photorefractory, and that photorefractoriness precludes photo-induced plasticity of the song-control system.

Estrogen contributes to seasonal plasticity of the adult avian song control system

2004 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 413-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiran K. Soma ◽  
Anthony D. Tramontin ◽  
Joy Featherstone ◽  
Eliot A. Brenowitz
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Seasonal Plasticity ◽  
Song Control System ◽  
Song Control ◽  
Avian Song
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