The avian song system has proven to be a rich source of information on such general issues as neural sexual dimorphism, effects of steroids on brain development and function, and adult neural plasticity. The purposed research will integrate sophisticated microanatomical techniques with hormonal manipulation and behavioral observation in canaries and zebra finches in order to further study these issues. The first set of experiments will measure dendritic and synaptic change accross development in two song system regions. This experiment should indicate how additive and regressive anatomical changes interact to produce major dimorphisms between the sexes. This experiment will also assess whether abrupt changes in anatomy of song related regions occur in parallel to major changes in vocal behavior. Two other expriments will determine whether synaptic degeneration precedes regressive events in zebra finches. The site and amount of degenation will be measured so as to determine whether this potential signal is foccussed or difuse. This experiment should delinate very percisely the location and nature of synaptic events associated with differentiation. A fourth experiment will trace the projection between two nuclei that become very dimorphic, in very young zebra finches. It appears that steroids cannot act directly on one of these nuclei-differentiation here must involve indirect mediation. Such a signal could be conveyed by the pattern of afferentation, especially if the axonal projection to this region is larger in males than in females, at the time differentiation is occuring. Testosterone will be given to adult female canaries so as to induce singing. The consequences of this treatment will be assessed in the motor nucleus that controls the vocal organ. This experiment will test whether areas within the nucleus that differ in function also differ in their response to the steroid, and whether a consequence of the treatment is to create left-right asymmetries anatomy. Finally, hormone- induced song will be used to determine the effects of damage in a song- related brain region on song acquisition and performance. These experiments address issues closely related to human health. Endocrine events are known to have powerful effects on human brain development. Humans have sensitive periods of r some sorts of learning or sensory development for which the initiating and terminating events are poorly understood. Humans may have predispositions for vocal learning which are similar to the """"""""experience-expectant"""""""" state of the juvenile songbird. Human behavior frequently involves integration of many endocrine, developmental and experiential influences. The song system is an ideal preparation in which such disparate influences on a complex learned behavior may be dissociated and understood.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HD021033-06
Application #
3319668
Study Section
Neurology B Subcommittee 2 (NEUB)
Project Start
1985-12-01
Project End
1993-08-31
Budget Start
1991-09-01
Budget End
1993-08-31
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
1991
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Cornell University
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
City
Ithaca
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
14850
Airey, D C; DeVoogd, T J (2000) Greater song complexity is associated with augmented song system anatomy in zebra finches. Neuroreport 11:1749-54
Airey, D C; DeVoogd, T J (2000) Greater song complexity is associated with augmented song system anatomy in zebra finches. Neuroreport 11:2339-44
Benton, S; Nelson, D A; Marler, P et al. (1998) Anterior forebrain pathway is needed for stable song expression in adult male white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys). Behav Brain Res 96:135-50
Wallhausser-Franke, E; Nixdorf-Bergweiler, B E; DeVoogd, T J (1995) Song isolation is associated with maintaining high spine frequencies on zebra finch 1MAN neurons. Neurobiol Learn Mem 64:25-35
Nixdorf-Bergweiler, B E; Wallhausser-Franke, E; DeVoogd, T J (1995) Regressive development in neuronal structure during song learning in birds. J Neurobiol 27:204-15
Wallhausser-Franke, E; Collins, C E; DeVoogd, T J (1995) Developmental changes in the distribution of NADPH-diaphorase-containing neurons in telencephalic nuclei of the zebra finch song system. J Comp Neurol 356:345-54
Reasner, D S; Johnston, R E; DeVoogd, T J (1993) Alteration of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) in young female Djungarian hamsters (Phodopus campbelli) exposed to adult males. Behav Neural Biol 60:251-8
Devoogd, T J; Krebs, J R; Healy, S D et al. (1993) Relations between song repertoire size and the volume of brain nuclei related to song: comparative evolutionary analyses amongst oscine birds. Proc Biol Sci 254:75-82
Hill, K M; DeVoogd, T J (1991) Altered daylength affects dendritic structure in a song-related brain region in red-winged blackbirds. Behav Neural Biol 56:240-50
DeVoogd, T J (1991) Endocrine modulation of the development and adult function of the avian song system. Psychoneuroendocrinology 16:41-66

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