Article

Functional evidence for internal feedback in the songbird brain nucleus HVC.

Graduate School of Science and Technology, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
Neuroreport (impact factor: 1.66). 05/2008; 19(6):679-82. DOI:10.1097/WNR.0b013e3282fb7dae pp.679-82
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT The song control system of songbirds consists mainly of the 'motor pathway' and 'anterior forebrain pathway'. The medial magnocellular nucleus of anterior nidopallium (mMAN) projects to the song control nucleus HVC, which is the point of divergence of the two pathways. We made simultaneous multiunit electrophysiological recordings from the mMAN and HVC in anesthetized Bengalese finches. We confirmed that the mMAN neurons showed song-selective auditory responses, and found temporal correlations between song-related activities of the mMAN and HVC neurons. The temporal relationship between the neural activation of the HVC and mMAN suggests that these nuclei are parts of a closed loop, which could provide internal feedback to the HVC for sequential syllable control.

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    Article: Characterization of synaptically connected nuclei in a potential sensorimotor feedback pathway in the zebra finch song system.
    Shayna M Williams, Alexis Nast, Melissa J Coleman
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    ABSTRACT: Birdsong is a learned behavior that is controlled by a group of identified nuclei, known collectively as the song system. The cortical nucleus HVC (used as a proper name) is a focal point of many investigations as it is necessary for song production, song learning, and receives selective auditory information. HVC receives input from several sources including the cortical area MMAN (medial magnocellular nucleus of the nidopallium). The MMAN to HVC connection is particularly interesting as it provides potential sensorimotor feedback to HVC. To begin to understand the role of this connection, we investigated the physiological relation between MMAN and HVC activity with simultaneous multiunit extracellular recordings from these two nuclei in urethane anesthetized zebra finches. As previously reported, we found similar timing in spontaneous bursts of activity in MMAN and HVC. Like HVC, MMAN responds to auditory playback of the bird's own song (BOS), but had little response to reversed BOS or conspecific song. Stimulation of MMAN resulted in evoked activity in HVC, indicating functional excitation from MMAN to HVC. However, inactivation of MMAN resulted in no consistent change in auditory responses in HVC. Taken together, these results indicate that MMAN provides functional excitatory input to HVC but does not provide significant auditory input to HVC in anesthetized animals. We hypothesize that MMAN may play a role in motor reinforcement or coordination, or may provide modulatory input to the song system about the internal state of the animal as it receives input from the hypothalamus.
    PLoS ONE 01/2012; 7(2):e32178. · 4.09 Impact Factor
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Keywords

'anterior forebrain pathway'
 
'motor pathway'
 
anesthetized Bengalese finches
 
medial magnocellular nucleus
 
mMAN
 
mMAN neurons
 
sequential syllable control
 
simultaneous multiunit electrophysiological recordings
 
song control nucleus HVC
 
song control system
 
song-related activities
 
song-selective auditory responses
 
songbirds
 
temporal correlations
 
two pathways
 

Yoshimasa Seki