Neural basis of songbird vocal learning during critical period

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26430027
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University
• Principal Investigator: Yanagihara Shin 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 (60392156)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: ソングバード / 発声学習 / 聴覚 / 記憶

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Juvenile songbirds listen to a tutor song and memorize it during critical period. Thereafter, they improve their vocalizations by comparing their ongoing songs and memorized tutor song. In this study, we searched for neurons which represent tutor song memory by recording neuronal activity in freely behaving condition. We found that a group of auditory cortical neurons which exhibit selective auditory responses to the memorized tutor song. These tutor song selective auditory cortical neurons may represent tutor song memory.

Free Research Field

神経科学