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Avian song learning: functional connectivity and neuromodulation through the songbird basal ganglia| old_uid | 3726 |
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| title | Avian song learning: functional connectivity and neuromodulation through the songbird basal ganglia |
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| start_date | 2007/12/17 |
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| schedule | 16h15 |
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| online | no |
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| summary | Songbirds learn their song through a long training that shares striking similarities
with speech acquisition in humans. In the brain of these birds, a neural network called
anterior forebrain pathway (AFP) is necessary for the acquisition but not for the
production of learned song. Recent findings provide evidence that the AFP is homologue
to the mammalian basal ganglio (BG)-thalamo-cortical network. In birds, the striatal and
the pallidal components of the BG are intermingled in the input structure of the AFP, Area
X. The precise circuitry inside Area X remains however to be elucidated in order to
confirm this view. We propose to characterize experimentally the circuitry of Area X’s
intrinsic network. To this end, we examined how extrinsic afferent inputs to Area X are
transformed into an output signal in vivo using extracellular recordings. Our results show
that Area X projection neurons receive a strong and rapid excitatory drive from the
afferent structures HVC and LMAN. We also showed that local inhibitory network shapes
this input resulting in a very time precise activation of very short duration that is
sometimes preceded and/or followed by inhibitory components. Preliminary data suggests
that this rapid response leads in the downstream thalamic nucleus to post-inhibitory
rebound responses. Finally, we will show how D1 agonist application modulates the
response of Area X output neurons. |
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| responsibles | van Vreeswijk, Hansel |
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