Publication Type Academic Article
Authors Maul K, Voss H, Parra L, Salgado-Commissariat D, Ballon D, Tchernichovski O, Helekar S
Journal Dev Neurobiol
Volume 70
Issue 1
Pagination 28-40
Date Published 01/01/2010
ISSN 1932-846X
Keywords Auditory Perception, Brain, Finches, Sex Characteristics, Vocalization, Animal
Abstract Juvenile male zebra finches develop their song by imitation. Females do not sing but are attracted to males' songs. With functional magnetic resonance imaging and event-related potentials we tested how early auditory experience shapes responses in the auditory forebrain of the adult bird. Adult male birds kept in isolation over the sensitive period for song learning showed no consistency in auditory responses to conspecific songs, calls, and syllables. Thirty seconds of song playback each day over development, which is sufficient to induce song imitation, was also sufficient to shape stimulus-specific responses. Strikingly, adult females kept in isolation over development showed responses similar to those of males that were exposed to songs. We suggest that early auditory experience with songs may be required to tune perception toward conspecific songs in males, whereas in females song selectivity develops even without prior exposure to song.
DOI 10.1002/dneu.20751
PubMed ID 19937773
PubMed Central ID PMC3724414
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