Department of Psychology, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY 10065, USA.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Sep 13;108 Suppl 3(Suppl 3):15572-9. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1012941108. Epub 2011 Mar 21.
Quantitative analysis of behavior plays an important role in birdsong neuroethology, serving as a common denominator in studies spanning molecular to system-level investigation of sensory-motor conversion, developmental learning, and pattern generation in the brain. In this review, we describe the role of behavioral analysis in facilitating cross-level integration. Modern sound analysis approaches allow investigation of developmental song learning across multiple time scales. Combined with novel methods that allow experimental control of vocal changes, it is now possible to test hypotheses about mechanisms of vocal learning. Further, song analysis can be done at the population level across generations to track cultural evolution and multigenerational behavioral processes. Complementing the investigation of song development with noninvasive brain imaging technology makes it now possible to study behavioral dynamics at multiple levels side by side with developmental changes in brain connectivity and in auditory responses.
行为的定量分析在鸟类鸣叫神经生物学中起着重要作用，它是跨越分子到系统水平研究的共同基础，研究内容包括感觉运动转换、发育学习以及大脑中的模式生成。在这篇综述中，我们描述了行为分析在促进跨层次整合中的作用。现代声音分析方法允许在多个时间尺度上研究发育中的鸣叫声学习。结合允许对发声变化进行实验控制的新方法，现在可以测试关于发声学习机制的假设。此外，还可以在种群水平上对鸣叫声进行分析，以跟踪文化进化和多代行为过程。通过与非侵入性脑成像技术相结合，对鸣叫声发展的研究使得现在可以同时研究行为动态以及大脑连接和听觉反应的发育变化。
