Babl Susanne S, Kiai Ava, García-Rosales Francisco, Hechavarría Julio C
Brain and Behavior Group, Ernst Strüngmann Institute for Neuroscience in Cooperation with the Max Planck Society, Frankfurt, Germany.
Institute of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2025 Aug;1550(1):37-54. doi: 10.1111/nyas.15410. Epub 2025 Jul 21.
Bats exhibit a unique repertoire of vocal behaviors, with many species employing echolocation to actively sense their environment while using communication calls for social interactions. This review explores the neural circuits underlying these behaviors, from brainstem and midbrain networks that generate and control vocalizations to higher order brain regions, such as the frontal cortex, which may contribute to the modulation of vocal behaviors. Although much is known about brainstem mechanisms for echolocation, less is understood about the neural control of communication calls and the integration of these systems. Recent findings highlight the interplay between auditory, motor, and spatial processing networks in shaping bat vocalizations, with evidence for both shared and distinct neural pathways for echolocation and communication. We propose a framework for vocal production circuits in bats, synthesize findings from diverse species and experimental techniques, and identify key questions to guide future research. This review underscores the importance of bats as models for studying vocal production and how they can provide insights into the evolution and adaptation of neural mechanisms across species.
蝙蝠展现出独特的一系列发声行为，许多物种利用回声定位来主动感知周围环境，同时使用交流叫声进行社交互动。这篇综述探讨了这些行为背后的神经回路，从产生和控制发声的脑干和中脑网络到可能有助于调节发声行为的高阶脑区，如额叶皮质。尽管人们对脑干回声定位机制了解很多，但对交流叫声的神经控制以及这些系统的整合了解较少。最近的研究结果突出了听觉、运动和空间处理网络在塑造蝙蝠发声中的相互作用，有证据表明回声定位和交流存在共享和不同的神经通路。我们提出了一个蝙蝠发声产生回路框架，综合了来自不同物种和实验技术的研究结果，并确定了指导未来研究的关键问题。这篇综述强调了蝙蝠作为研究发声产生模型以及它们如何为跨物种神经机制的进化和适应提供见解的重要性。
