The central goal of the research proposed here is to understand how the vertebrate auditory system recognizes and interprets an enormous repertoire of species-typical vocal communication signals. The establishment of non-mammalian models of acoustic communication provide a unique and practical opportunity to identify the basic principles of neural operation that have led to the evolution of the complex auditory system of mammals including humans. Teleost fishes are the largest group of extant vertebrates and include vocalizing species with a simple vocal repertoire and a central auditory system resembling that of mammals. We propose that the plainfin midshipman fish (Porichthys notatus) has the vocal and acoustic behaviors, and underlying neural mechanisms and circuitry, both necessary and sufficient to solve acoustic problems that challenge all vertebrates including the separation of simultaneous (concurrent) vocalizations. Male midshipman fish vocalize simultaneously while they court females using multi-harmonic advertisement calls. Three questions will address mechanisms for the encoding and decoding of individual and concurrent vocal signals: (1) How and where are concurrent vocal signals segregated and encoded by the nervous system? Single unit recordings in the eighth nerve and auditory midbrain will characterize responses to both simple signals such as two tone beats and single multi-harmonic signals, and more complex stimuli such as two or more concurrent multi-harmonic signals. Central recordings together with neuroanatomical (biocytin) tract-tracing will map the circuitry that subserves the auditory coding mechanisms identified. (2) How and where do auditory and vocal pathways interact before, during and after self-vocalization? Central vocal-acoustic pathways recently delineated in midshipman will now guide single unit studies that test hypotheses of the proposed role of vocal-acoustic circuitry in auditory coding mechanisms. (3) How does the temporal structure of a vocal signal influence information transmission by auditory nerve fibers? Information transmission measures the amount of information present in an afferent spike train (information rate) and the quality of the stimulus representation by a spike train (coding efficiency). The simplicity (2-3 harmonics) and long duration (up to 115 minutes) of the midshipman s advertisement call presents a unique opportunity to test the hypothesis that a vocal signal s temporal structure is exploited for optimizing information transmission and hence the recognition of individual concurrent vocal signals.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01DC000092-24A1
Application #
2014203
Study Section
Hearing Research Study Section (HAR)
Project Start
1974-09-01
Project End
2001-11-30
Budget Start
1996-12-01
Budget End
1997-11-30
Support Year
24
Fiscal Year
1997
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Cornell University
Department
Other Basic Sciences
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
City
Ithaca
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
14850
Bass, Andrew H (2014) Central pattern generator for vocalization: is there a vertebrate morphotype? Curr Opin Neurobiol 28:94-100
Rohmann, Kevin N; Fergus, Daniel J; Bass, Andrew H (2013) Plasticity in ion channel expression underlies variation in hearing during reproductive cycles. Curr Biol 23:678-83
Fergus, Daniel J; Bass, Andrew H (2013) Localization and divergent profiles of estrogen receptors and aromatase in the vocal and auditory networks of a fish with alternative mating tactics. J Comp Neurol 521:2850-69
Kittelberger, J Matthew; Bass, Andrew H (2013) Vocal-motor and auditory connectivity of the midbrain periaqueductal gray in a teleost fish. J Comp Neurol 521:791-812
Chagnaud, Boris P; Bass, Andrew H (2013) Vocal corollary discharge communicates call duration to vertebrate auditory system. J Neurosci 33:18775-80
Banerjee, Sunayana B; Arterbery, Adam S; Fergus, Daniel J et al. (2012) Deprivation of maternal care has long-lasting consequences for the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis of zebra finches. Proc Biol Sci 279:759-66
Chagnaud, Boris P; Baker, Robert; Bass, Andrew H (2011) Vocalization frequency and duration are coded in separate hindbrain nuclei. Nat Commun 2:346
Rice, Aaron N; Land, Bruce R; Bass, Andrew H (2011) Nonlinear acoustic complexity in a fish 'two-voice' system. Proc Biol Sci 278:3762-8
Arterbery, Adam S; Fergus, Daniel J; Fogarty, Elizabeth A et al. (2011) Evolution of ligand specificity in vertebrate corticosteroid receptors. BMC Evol Biol 11:14
Rohmann, Kevin N; Bass, Andrew H (2011) Seasonal plasticity of auditory hair cell frequency sensitivity correlates with plasma steroid levels in vocal fish. J Exp Biol 214:1931-42

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