2019 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
How attention regulates auditory perception during song learning?
| Project/Area Number |
19K16302
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| Research Institution | Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University |
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Principal Investigator |
KATIC Jelena 沖縄科学技術大学院大学, 臨界期の神経メカニズム研究ユニット, 研究員 (10834947)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
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| Keywords | learning / song / attention |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
The objective of this project is to understand how the activity of LC neurons changes the selectivity of NCM neurons to the tutor song and how that affects learning. First, I tested the hypothesis:
Excitation of LC neurons and passive song exposure result in high tutor-song selectivity in NCM or
Inhibition of LC neurons and ‘live’ tutor singing result in low tutor-song selectivity in NCM.
I successfully established optogenetics in the LC neuron terminals in vivo using ChR2 or Arch opsins. By combining optogenetics and extracellular recording I excited/inhibited LC neuron activity with light through the optic fiber while recording NCM neuronal activity with a silicone probe. Preliminary data recorded from nine animals showed that inhibition of the LC neuron terminals in the NCM area during live tutor singing significantly reduced selectivity of NCM neurons to the tutor song compared to the control animals. Later, I measured how well each juvenile bird learns to sing using song analysis software and analyze behavioral data of juveniles and tutors recorded by a camera. Juvenile animals whose LC neuron activity was inhibited during tutor singing show significantly less learning ability than the control juvenile birds. Additionally, I measured noradrenaline (NA) and dopamine (DA) release in the NCM during tutor singing using the NA and DA sensors and the fiber photometry. NA release was elevated in the NCM of juvenile bird during tutor singing. Further analyses of the neuronal responses and local circuits involved are in process.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
1: Research has progressed more than it was originally planned.
Reason
I have already started with the analysis that were planned for the second year.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
Further repetition of the experiments and analysis of the neuronal responses and local circuits involved.
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| Causes of Carryover |
I need to confirm results I obtain in the previous FY, thus I am planning to repeat the experiments I already did. For that I need more articles (optoelectrodes). I also plan to travel to international conferences and present my results.
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