Transient expression and transport of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the male zebra finch’s song system during vocal development

Akutagawa, Eugene; Konishi, Masakazu

doi:10.1073/pnas.95.19.11429

Cited by 60 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 49 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In situ hybridization has revealed mRNA in HVC specifically at 30 -35 days of age in males but not females (Dittrich et al, 1999), and cells ventral to HVC at 20 days of age. Immunohistochemistry detected specific labeling in the male HVC from days 20 through 65, with a sharp reduction by adulthood (Akutagawa and Konishi, 1998). However, in another study the protein was expressed at comparable levels in late juvenile (55-60-day-old) males and adult males and females.…”

Section: Summary and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 84%

Zebra finch sexual differentiation: The aromatization hypothesis revisited

Wade

2001

Microscopy Res & Technique

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Zebra finches have emerged as an outstanding model system for the investigation of the mechanisms regulating brain and behavior. Their song system has proven especially useful, as the function of discrete anatomical regions have been identified, and striking parallels exist between the morphology of these regions and the level of their function in males and females. That is, the structures are substantially more developed in males, who sing, compared to females, who do not. These parallels extend from higher (telencephalic) centers to the brainstem motor nucleus that innervates the muscles of the vocal organ. Other dimorphic aspects of reproduction in the zebra finch, such as copulatory behaviors and sexual partner preference, however, are not associated with known sex differences in anatomy. In many species, sex differences in neural and peripheral structures and behavior are regulated by secretions from the gonads, which of course are sexually dimorphic themselves. In birds, sex differences at all of these levels (gonad, brain, and behavior) can be mediated by steroid hormones. However, it is not entirely clear that gonadal secretions normally participate at all of the levels. This paper reviews the evidence relating to the role of gonadal steroids in the sexual differentiation of reproductive behaviors and the central and peripheral structures known to regulate them in zebra finches, with a focus on estradiol, which has been most extensively studied in the masculinization of song system morphology and function.

show abstract

Section: Summary and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 84%

Zebra finch sexual differentiation: The aromatization hypothesis revisited

Wade

2001

Microscopy Res & Technique

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Other evidence that L M AN supplies trophic support for RA development is that (1) early L M AN lesions cause massive RA cell death, which can be rescued by inf usion of neurotrophins, including BDN F (Johnson et al, 1997), (2) BDN F can be anterogradely transported from L M AN to R A (Johnson et al, 1997), and (3) BDN F expression is developmentally regulated, with highest expression in R A coinciding with the height of sensorimotor learning (Akutagawa and Konishi, 1998). Activitydependent expression of neurotrophins can homeostatically regulate synaptic strength (Rutherford et al, 1997.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lesions of an Avian Forebrain Nucleus That Disrupt Song Development Alter Synaptic Connectivity and Transmission in the Vocal Premotor Pathway

Kittelberger

Mooney

1999

J. Neurosci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The avian forebrain nucleus, the lateral magnocellular nucleus of the anterior neostriatum (LMAN), is necessary for normal song development because LMAN lesions made in juvenile birds disrupt song production but do not disrupt song when made in adults. Although these age-limited behavioral effects implicate LMAN in song learning, a potential confound is that LMAN lesions could disrupt normal vocal motor function independent of any learning role by altering LMANЈs premotor target, the song nucleus, the robust nucleus of the archistriatum (RA). To date, however, no studies have examined directly the effects of LMAN lesions on the circuitry of the RA. We report here that juvenile LMAN lesions rapidly and profoundly affect RA, altering synaptic connectivity within this nucleus, including descending inputs from the song nucleus HVc. Specifically, morphological assays of the dendritic spines of RA projection neurons and axon terminal boutons arising from HVc show a numerical decline in the density of connections in RA in LMANlesioned juveniles compared with controls. Concurrently, LMAN lesions alter excitatory transmission within the juvenile RA: after LMAN lesions, the stimulus-response relationship between HVc fibers and RA neurons steepens, and the amplitude of spontaneous monophasic EPSCs increases. Rather than arresting RA in a juvenile state, LMAN lesions transform the structure and function of RA and its connections, such that it is distinct from that of the normal juvenile. In many ways, RA circuitry in LMAN-lesioned juveniles resembles that of normal adults, suggesting that LMAN lesions induce a premature maturation of the vocal motor pathway, which may lead to a loss of behavioral plasticity and abnormal song development.

show abstract

“…More recently, BDNF/ TrkB signaling has been implicated in learning and memory by directly examining its role in a variety of learning paradigms in behaving animals. Despite the fact that BDNF has been shown to play a critical role in a variety of learning paradigms in mice Qiao et al 1998;Aloe et al 1999;Croll et al 1999;Horger et al 1999), monkeys (Tokuyama et al 2000), zebra finches (Akutagawa and Konishi 1998;Wade 2000), and chicks (Johnston et al 1999;Johnston and Rose 2001), the behavioral tests used in those studies were not as hippocampal-dependent as spatial learning or contextual fear conditioning. We focus here on behavioral evidence obtained using specific hippocampal-mediated spatial learning and contextual fear conditioning paradigms.…”

Section: Bdnf Signaling Is Necessary For Hippocampal-dependent Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Acquisition to Consolidation: On the Role of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Signaling in Hippocampal-Dependent Learning

Tyler¹,

Alonso²,

Bramham³

et al. 2002

Learn. Mem.

627

398

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

One of the most rigorously investigated problems in modern neuroscience is to decipher the mechanisms by which experience-induced changes in the central nervous system are translated into behavioral acquisition, consolidation, retention, and subsequent recall of information. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has recently emerged as one of the most potent molecular mediators of not only central synaptic plasticity, but also behavioral interactions between an organism and its environment. Recent experimental evidence indicates that BDNF modulates synaptic transmission and plasticity by acting across different spatial and temporal domains. BDNF signaling evokes both short-and long-term periods of enhanced synaptic physiology in both pre-and postsynaptic compartments of central synapses. Specifically, BDNF/TrkB signaling converges on the MAP kinase pathway to enhance excitatory synaptic transmission in vivo, as well as hippocampal-dependent learning in behaving animals. Emerging concepts of the intracellular signaling cascades involved in synaptic plasticity induced through environmental interactions resulting in behavioral learning further support the contention that BDNF/TrkB signaling plays a fundamental role in mediating enduring changes in central synaptic structure and function. Here we review recent literature showing the involvement of BDNF/TrkB signaling in hippocampal-dependent learning paradigms, as well as in the types of cellular plasticity proposed to underlie learning and memory.

show abstract

Transient expression and transport of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the male zebra finch’s song system during vocal development

Cited by 60 publications

References 49 publications

Zebra finch sexual differentiation: The aromatization hypothesis revisited

Zebra finch sexual differentiation: The aromatization hypothesis revisited

Lesions of an Avian Forebrain Nucleus That Disrupt Song Development Alter Synaptic Connectivity and Transmission in the Vocal Premotor Pathway

From Acquisition to Consolidation: On the Role of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Signaling in Hippocampal-Dependent Learning

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About