Noradrenergic modulation of activity in a vocal control nucleus in vitro.

Norepinephrine (NE) can profoundly modulate sensory processing, but its effect on motor function is less well understood. Birdsong is a learned behavior involving sensory and motor processes that are influenced by NE. A potential site of NE action is the robust nucleus of the arcopallium (RA): RA receives noradrenergic inputs and has adrenergic receptors, and it is a sensorimotor area instrumental to song production.

Rhythmic activity in a forebrain vocal control nucleus in vitro.

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.

Cellular, circuit, and synaptic mechanisms in song learning.

Songbirds, much like humans, learn their vocal behavior, and must be able to hear both themselves and others to do so. Studies of the brain areas involved in singing and song learning could reveal the underlying neural mechanisms. Here we describe experiments that explore the properties of the songbird anterior forebrain pathway (AFP), a basal ganglia-forebrain circuit known to be critical for song learning and for adult modification of vocal output.