Publication
Title
Own-song recognition in the songbird auditory pathway: selectivity and lateralization
Author
Abstract
The songbird brain is able to discriminate between the bird's own song and other conspecific songs. Determining where in the brain own- song selectivity emerges is of great importance because experience-dependent mechanisms are necessarily involved and because brain regions sensitive to self-generated vocalizations could mediate auditory feedback that is necessary for song learning and maintenance. Using functional MRI, here we show that this selectivity is present at the midbrain level. Surprisingly, the selectivity was found to be lateralized toward the right side, a finding reminiscent of the potential right lateralization of song production in zebra finches but also of own-face and own-voice recognition in human beings. These results indicate that a midbrain structure can process subtle information about the identity of a subject through experience-dependent mechanisms, challenging the classical perception of subcortical regions as primitive and nonplastic structures. They also open questions about the evolution of the cognitive skills and lateralization in vertebrates.
Language
English
Source (journal)
The journal of neuroscience. - Baltimore, Md
Publication
Baltimore, Md : 2009
ISSN
0270-6474 [Print]
1529-2401 [Online]
DOI
10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4650-08.2009
Volume/pages
29 :7 (2009) , p. 2252-2258
ISI
000263558900029
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 06.03.2009
Last edited 25.05.2022
To cite this reference