Institute of Neuroinformatics, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2010 Jun;20(3):332-9. doi: 10.1016/j.conb.2010.02.011. Epub 2010 Mar 20.
Songbirds are well suited to studies of vocal processing not only because of their impressive motor abilities, but also because of their exquisite sensory system that allows them to detect subtle song variability, memorize complex songs, and monitor auditory feedback during singing. Recent experiments point to areas outside the traditional song system for being relevant to sensory functions implicated in song learning. By manipulating or suppressing activity in these areas, adult birds lose their ability to recognize the songs of their tutors and juveniles are unable to form accurate copies of tutor song. Taken together, these experiments show that the sensory mechanisms for vocal learning encompass a larger network than previously thought.
鸣禽不仅因其令人印象深刻的运动能力，还因其精致的感觉系统而非常适合研究发声处理，这种感觉系统使它们能够检测到微妙的歌声变化，记住复杂的歌曲，并在唱歌时监控听觉反馈。最近的实验表明，传统的鸣禽系统之外的一些区域与参与鸣禽学习的感觉功能有关。通过对这些区域进行操作或抑制其活动，成年鸟类会丧失识别导师歌曲的能力，而幼鸟则无法准确地模仿导师的歌曲。总的来说，这些实验表明，用于发声学习的感觉机制比以前认为的要广泛。
