Seasonal and hormonal modulation of neurotransmitter systems in the song control circuit

Ball, Gregory F.; Balthazart, Jacques

doi:10.1016/j.jchemneu.2009.08.005

Cited by 54 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 147 publications

(183 reference statements)

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“…Based on the strong connections between neuroplasticity and season in the songbird song control system (Nottebohm, 2002;Ball & Balthazart, 2010), I also examined …”

Section: Cortex Region Plasticitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In some species these brain regions are also responsive to changes in photoperiod absent from changes in T (Nottebohm, 2002;Strand & Deviche, 2007;Strand et al, 2009;Ball & Balthazart, 2010). Still, T directly affects these song control regions, independent from photoperiod, to modulate plasticity and induce singing behaviors (Dloniak & Deviche, 2001).…”

Section: Neuroplasticity and Androgensmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…and/or internal (hormone levels, reproductive state, etc.) environment can cause growth or regression of the song control nuclei (Gulledge & Deviche, 1998;Dloniak & Deviche, 2001;Strand & Deviche, 2007;Ball & Balthazart, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Territorial Behavior and Cortical Brain Plasticity in Adult Male Sceloporus Occidentalis

Pfau¹

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Territorial Behavior and Cortical Brain Plasticity in Adult Male Sceloporus occidentalis Daniel Robert PfauThe hippocampus is a brain region that can undergo tremendous plasticity in adulthood. The hippocampus is related to the formation of spatial memories in birds and mammals. In birds, plasticity in the hippocampus occurs when formation of such memories is directly relevant to survival or reproduction, such as for breeding or food caching. In reptiles, the homologues to the hippocampus are the dorsal and medial cortices (DC and MC). In several lizard, snake and turtle species, these structures have been related to spatial memory. Experimental investigations indicate that differences in DC volume are related to space use associated with differing foraging ecologies. Differences in MC volume have been associated with territory size-based mate acquisition strategies. Furthermore, territory size has previously been correlated with plasma testosterone (T) levels. Therefore, I hypothesized that neuroplasticity within the MC/DC is controlled by demands on spatial navigation and seasonal differences and that these changes may involve the action of T. During two experimental trials, male Western Fence Lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) were placed into either large or small semi-natural enclosures and allowed to interact with a female and intruder males over the span of seven weeks. One trial was performed during the spring breeding season and the other during the summer non breeding season, to examine seasonal differences in plasticity. Blood samples were collected at initial time of capture and before sacrifice to measure plasma T. Immunostaining for doublecortin was used to determine the density of immature neurons in each region, and cresyl violet staining allowed for volume measurements of specific regions. MC cell layer neurogenesis was higher in lizards placed in large enclosures than those in small enclosures and higher in the summer than in the spring. DC volume was smaller in lizards held in large enclosures than those in small enclosures. The decreased DC volume seen lizards held in large enclosures may indicate a cost to the increased neurogenesis in the MC of lizards in the same enclosures. These results indicate a possible trade-off between DC volume and MC neurogenesis that allows for switching between the ability to solve novel spatial tasks using the DC while storing a cognitive map in the MC. During the spring, T had no relationship with MC volume, while during the summer this was negative, so effects of T on the MC may be seasonal.

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“…Based on the strong connections between neuroplasticity and season in the songbird song control system (Nottebohm, 2002;Ball & Balthazart, 2010), I also examined …”

Section: Cortex Region Plasticitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Neuroplasticity and Androgensmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Territorial Behavior and Cortical Brain Plasticity in Adult Male Sceloporus Occidentalis

Pfau¹

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“…We measured these areas several months after the late food restriction ended, but it would suggest that the reduction in volume to areas within the song-control system may be apparent while the stress is present or shortly after, but that the song-control system is relatively robust to recovering volume losses if given at the very least several months of rehabilitation. The volume of nuclei within the song-control system of male starlings is known to fluctuate greatly as a result of age, seasonal changes, circulating hormones and the amount of song a male produces (Ball & Balthazart, 2010;Bernard, Eens, & Ball, 1996;Sartor & Ball, 2005). The song-control system exhibits tremendous neurogenesis and plasticity and, therefore, its condition may be more indicative of recent conditions experienced and not solely early-life environments (Newman, MacDougall-Shackleton, An, Kriengwatana, & Soma, 2010;Wada, Newman, Hall, Soma, & MacdougallShackleton, 2013).…”

Section: Song-control System and Its Behavioural Correlatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Developmental stress impairs a female songbird's behavioural and neural response to a sexually selected signal

et al. 2015

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“…The song control system (SCS) of many seasonally breeding songbirds undergoes seasonal plasticity in size, as well as changes in many other aspects of anatomy and physiology [De Groof et al, 2008;Meitzen and Thompson, 2008;Meitzen et al, 2009;Ball and Balthazart, 2010]. In the rufous-collared sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) , a tropical songbird, the song system is also larger when in breeding condition [Moore et al, 2004].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Different Seasonal Patterns in Song System Volume in Willow Tits and Great Tits

et al. 2016

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In most species of seasonally breeding songbirds studied to date, the brain areas that control singing (i.e. the song control system, SCS) are larger during the breeding season than at other times of the year. In the family of titmice and chickadees (Paridae), one species, the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), shows the typical pattern of seasonal changes, while another species, the black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), shows, at best, very reduced seasonal changes in the SCS. To test whether this pattern holds up in the two Parid lineages to which these two species belong, and to rule out that the differences in seasonal patterns observed were due to differences in geography or laboratory, we compared the seasonal patterns in two song system nuclei volumes (HVC and Area X) in willow tits (Poecile montanus), closely related to black-capped chickadees, and in great tits (Parus major), more closely related to blue tits, from the same area around Oulu, Finland. Both species had larger gonads in spring than during the rest of the year. Great tit males had a larger HVC in spring than at other times of the year, but their Area X did not change in size. Willow tits showed no seasonal change in HVC or Area X size, despite having much larger gonads in spring than the great tits. Our findings suggest that the song system of willow tits and their relatives may be involved in learning and producing nonsong social vocalizations. Since these vocalizations are used year-round, there may be a year-round demand on the song system. The great tit and blue tit HVC may change seasonally because the demand is only placed on the song system during the breeding season, since they only produce learned vocalizations during this time. We suggest that changes were not observed in Area X because its main role is in song learning, and there is evidence that great tits do not learn new songs after their first year of life. Further study is required to determine whether our hypothesis about the role of the song system in the learned, nonsong vocalizations of the willow tit and chickadee is correct, and to test our hypothesis about the role of Area X in the great tit song system.

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Seasonal and hormonal modulation of neurotransmitter systems in the song control circuit

Cited by 54 publications

References 147 publications

Territorial Behavior and Cortical Brain Plasticity in Adult Male Sceloporus Occidentalis

Territorial Behavior and Cortical Brain Plasticity in Adult Male Sceloporus Occidentalis

Developmental stress impairs a female songbird's behavioural and neural response to a sexually selected signal

Different Seasonal Patterns in Song System Volume in Willow Tits and Great Tits

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