The proposed research focuses on the motor control and motor coordination of complex vocal communication in songbirds. Song production in birds involve coordination of the vocal and respiratory motor systems and, thus, represents a motor task similar to the control of human speech and singing. Furthermore, motor patterns for song production are learned in a way that parallels vocal learning in human infants. A number of peripheral motor correlates of song, including recordings of bronchial airflow patterns, subsyringeal air ac pressure, electromyography and sonomicrometry of syringeal and respiratory muscles will be studied to illuminate motor the muscles of both sides of the vocal organ as well as the expiratory and inspiratory muscles. Synchronization of vocal and visual displays will be explored for the first time. Information gained from this research will not constitute a description of the peripheral motor patterns but, at the same time, outline the specific tasks of the central motor control. The sonomicrometric information during spontaneous vocal behavior will provide the first evidence on muscle shortening patterns for any vocal system including the human larynx. In addition, physical and neuromuscular constraints on vocal production will be explored by comparing motor correlates of heterospecific vocal mimicry to those of the tutor species. Specific questions that can be addressed include the variance of invariance of motor gestures for acoustic communication, physiological and morphological constraints on motor performance and bilateral processes leading to lateralized behavior. The integrative nature of this research will generate results of wide interdisciplinary interest, including disciplines such as neurobiology, respiratory physiology, linguistics, neuroethology and evolution.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DC004390-05
Application #
6693043
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-BBBP-7 (01))
Program Officer
Shekim, Lana O
Project Start
2000-01-01
Project End
2005-03-31
Budget Start
2004-01-01
Budget End
2005-03-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
$163,344
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Utah
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
009095365
City
Salt Lake City
State
UT
Country
United States
Zip Code
84112
Meyers, Ron A; McFarland, Joshua C (2016) Anatomy and histochemistry of spread-wing posture inbirds. 4. Eagles soar with fast, not slow muscle ?bres. Acta Zool 97:319-324
Riede, Tobias; Schilling, Nadja; Goller, Franz (2013) The acoustic effect of vocal tract adjustments in zebra finches. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 199:57-69
Mackelprang, Rebecca; Goller, Franz (2013) Ventilation patterns of the songbird lung/air sac system during different behaviors. J Exp Biol 216:3611-9
Riede, Tobias (2013) Stereotypic laryngeal and respiratory motor patterns generate different call types in rat ultrasound vocalization. J Exp Zool A Ecol Genet Physiol 319:213-24
Hoepfner, Amanda R; Goller, Franz (2013) Atypical song reveals spontaneously developing coordination between multi-modal signals in brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater). PLoS One 8:e65525
Julias, Margaret; Riede, Tobias; Cook, Douglas (2013) Visualizing collagen network within human and rhesus monkey vocal folds using polarized light microscopy. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 122:135-44
Cooper, Brenton G; Mendez, Jorge M; Saar, Sigal et al. (2012) Age-related changes in the Bengalese finch song motor program. Neurobiol Aging 33:564-8
Prince, Ben; Riede, Tobias; Goller, Franz (2011) Sexual dimorphism and bilateral asymmetry of syrinx and vocal tract in the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris). J Morphol 272:1527-36
Klemuk, Sarah A; Riede, Tobias; Walsh, Edward J et al. (2011) Adapted to roar: functional morphology of tiger and lion vocal folds. PLoS One 6:e27029
Zollinger, Sue Anne; Goller, Franz; Brumm, Henrik (2011) Metabolic and respiratory costs of increasing song amplitude in zebra finches. PLoS One 6:e23198

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