 |
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
The Journal of Neuroscience, March 16, 2005, 25(11):2811-2822; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5285-04.2005
Previous Article | Next Article
Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive
Rhythmic Activity in a Forebrain Vocal Control Nucleus In Vitro
Michele M. Solis andDavid J. Perkel Departments of Biology and Otolaryngology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-6515
The learned vocalizations of songbirds constitute a rhythmic behavior that is thought to be governed by a central pattern generator and that is accompanied by highly patterned neural activity. Phasic premotor activity is observed during singing in HVC [used as a proper name following the nomenclature of Reiner et al. (2004)], a telencephalic song system nucleus that is essential for song production. Moreover, HVC neurons display phasic patterns of auditory activity in response to song stimulation. To address the cellular basis of pattern generation in HVC, we investigated its rhythm-generating abilities.
We report here the induction of sustained, rhythmic activity patterns in HVC when isolated in vitro. Brief, high-frequency stimulation evoked repetitive postsynaptic potentials (PSPs) and local field potentials (LFPs) from HVC neurons recorded in a brain slice preparation made from adult male zebra finches. These rhythmic events were sustained for seconds in the absence of ongoing, phasic stimulation, and they had temporal properties similar to those of syllable occurrence within zebra finch song. Paired recordings revealed synchrony between repetitive PSP and LFP occurrence, indicating that a population of cells participates in this patterned activity. The PSPs resulted from multiple, coordinated, fast-glutamatergic, synaptic inputs. Moreover, their occurrence and timing relied on inhibitory synaptic transmission. Thus, HVC itself has rhythmic abilities that could influence the timing of neural activity over relatively long time windows. These rhythmic properties may contribute to song production or perception in vivo.
Key words: birdsong; vocalization; central pattern generator; sensorimotor; rhythm; HVC
Received May 7, 2004; revised January 27, 2005; accepted January 31, 2005.
This article has been cited by other articles:
R. C. Ashmore, J. A. Renk, and M. F. Schmidt
Bottom-Up Activation of the Vocal Motor Forebrain by the Respiratory Brainstem
J. Neurosci., March 5, 2008; 28(10): 2613 - 2623.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
R. C. Ashmore, M. Bourjaily, and M. F. Schmidt
Hemispheric Coordination Is Necessary for Song Production in Adult Birds: Implications for a Dual Role for Forebrain Nuclei in Vocal Motor Control
J Neurophysiol, January 1, 2008; 99(1): 373 - 385.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
C. M. Glaze and T. W. Troyer
Behavioral Measurements of a Temporally Precise Motor Code for Birdsong
J. Neurosci., July 18, 2007; 27(29): 7631 - 7639.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
R. H. R. Hahnloser and M. S. Fee
Sleep-Related Spike Bursts in HVC Are Driven by the Nucleus Interface of the Nidopallium
J Neurophysiol, January 1, 2007; 97(1): 423 - 435.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
S. R. Crandall, N. Aoki, and T. A. Nick
Developmental Modulation of the Temporal Relationship Between Brain and Behavior
J Neurophysiol, January 1, 2007; 97(1): 806 - 816.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
B. G. Cooper and F. Goller
Physiological Insights Into the Social-Context-Dependent Changes in the Rhythm of the Song Motor Program
J Neurophysiol, June 1, 2006; 95(6): 3798 - 3809.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
C. M. Glaze and T. W. Troyer
Temporal Structure in Zebra Finch Song: Implications for Motor Coding
J. Neurosci., January 18, 2006; 26(3): 991 - 1005.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
M. A. Farries
Birdsong and the Brainstem
J. Neurosci., January 4, 2006; 26(1): 1 - 2.
[Full Text] [PDF]
R. C. Ashmore, J. M. Wild, and M. F. Schmidt
Brainstem and Forebrain Contributions to the Generation of Learned Motor Behaviors for Song
J. Neurosci., September 14, 2005; 25(37): 8543 - 8554.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|