| Budget Amount *help |
¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000)
Fiscal Year 2016: ¥2,340,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥540,000)
Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Generally, songbirds learn songs as juveniles. Some songbirds such as canary, however, are able to learn songs every year and display brain plasticity even in adulthood. In order to investigate brain plasticity, we studied the song system of songbirds as a model. Continuous recording revealed seasonal changes in song behavior in canary, while offering insights into the song-like behavior of carrion crow. Environment and stress factors probably influence brain plasticity, primarily, through stress-related genes. Stress-related gene expression was confirmed in the song nuclei. An analysis of the concentrations of various hormones in the blood did not reveal differences in stress hormone concentration before and after song re-learning. We, however, noted changes in androgen levels. The levels of dehydroepiandrosterone, which is involved in promoting neurogenesis of the song nucleus, also increased during song re-learning.
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