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Question 1

Why do we study bird song

Answer 1

1) Both humans and birds are vocal learners
2) Both species show initial innate predispositions for species-typical signals and have to be exposed to species-typical vocalizations during a sensitive/critical period to acquire them

3) Both show an initial phase if developmental learning that is primarily perceptual, during which babies and birds commit to long term memory the detailed characteristics of the communicative repertoires they hear.
babies - phonetic units and prosodic characteristics that typify their mother tongue
Birds - specific notes, syllables, and prosodic characteristics that typify their species

4) Both species must rehearse and refine their communicative repertoires, actively comparing and gradually matching their productions to the sound patterns stored in auditory memory

Question 2

What/who is a vocal learner

Answer 2

Vocal learning involves acquiring vocalizations through imitation rather than instinct. e.g of vocal learners are Bat, Whales, Parrots, Humming birds, song birds, Humans

Question 3

Human vs. Bird (vocal anatomy)

Answer 3

Resonator - Vocal tract vs. Vocal tract
Oscillator - Larynx vs. Syrinx (two independent)
Power supply Lungs vs. Lungs

Question 4

Speech vs. Bird song (Sound structure - phonology)

Answer 4

Smallest unit: Phonetic unit vs. Note

Sound separated: Syllable vs. Syllable

Groups of syllables: Phrases vs. Motifs

Several phrases : Speech vs. Song

Question 5

Song production pathway

Answer 5

Posterior descending pathway: responsible for the acquisition and production of learned song

HVC –> RA –> nXIIts –> syrinx

homologous to a motor pathway that starts in the cerebral cortex and descends through the brain stem

Question 6

Song learning pathway

Answer 6

Anterior forebrain pathway: responsible for song acquisition only

HVC –> AreaX –> DLM –> LMAN –> RA or AreaX (feedback)

Homologous to a cortical pathway through the basal ganglia and thalamus

Question 7

What is unique about vocal learning animals

Answer 7

The connection (motor) between the cortex and the brainstem nuclei that controls larynx/syrinx movement

Question 8

Functions of Bird Song

Answer 8

Mark territory - repel other males

Attracts females

Question 9

Language development and bird song development similarities

Answer 9

Sensitive/critical period

Sub-song = babbling stage comes before song/speech production

Contributions from genetics, learning, creativity

Question 10

Language development and bird song development differences

Answer 10

For birds the sensitive period ends before song production begins

For humans sensitive period continues through speech production

Question 11

What does bird song teach us about human speech and song?

Synchronization to a beat

Answer 11

Only vocal learners can synchronize to a beat

1) Synchronization requires special links between the auditory and motor systems as does vocal learning
2) Neural foundations of the two skills overlap in the brain (basal ganglia and supplementary motor areas)
3) Synchronization to a beat may be a consequence of neural circuitry for vocal learning

Question 12

What does bird song teach us about human speech and song?

Arch Shaped Phrase Contours

Answer 12

ASP contours are a side effect of song/speech being powered by air pushed out of the lungs

Humans breathe between phrases = arched phrases

Birds breathe between notes = Arched notes

Question 13

What does bird song teach us about human speech and song?

Ability to process syntax

Answer 13

A simple level of grammar processing may be shared with other animals (song birds).

Question 14

Recursion

Answer 14

Phrases can be embedded within phrases that are further embedded within phrases

Question 15

Advantages of the bird song model in identifying neural mechanisms that underlie biologically relevant behavior

Answer 15

1) Song is a learned behavior controlled by discrete neural circuits
2) There are distinct phases in the development of song, with well-defined sensitive periods
3) Song is a product of stereotyped motor programs
4) Song behavior and the associated neural circuits are sexually dimorphic
5) Gonadal steroid hormones (testosterone) have pronounced effects on the development and function of song circuits and behavior
6) Plasticity of the adult song system; neurogenesis and seasonal changes
7) Species diversity; timing of vocal learning sex patterns of song production, number of songs learned, seasonality of song behavior

3)

Question 16

Acoustic structure of song

Answer 16

Song elements/notes - simplest individual sound

Syllable - a series of one or more elements that occur together in a regular pattern

Song phrase/motif - a sequence of one or more syllables that occurs repeatedly in a song

Song type - a combination of phrases/motifs that occur repeatedly

Song bout - a sequence of one or more phrases separated from other phrases by silent intervals of variable duration

Question 17

General characteristics of song development

Answer 17

1) Memory acquisition/sensory acquisition
2) Sensorimotor phase
i) Sub-song: Quiet crudely structured and variable
ii) Plastic song: Louder and better structured but still variable
iii) Crystalized: stereotyped version of sensory model
a) testosterone needed

Question 18

Left hemisphere lateralization/Right ear advantage

Answer 18

Language processing:

Speech sounds due to fas formant transitions
Processing of semantics
Comprehension and production
Phonetic information
temporal processing (within a short time window)

Question 19

Right Hemisphere lateralization/Left ear advantage

Answer 19

Spectral processing 
Prosody 
Syllabic rate
Timber
Emotional quality of language 
Music

Question 20

Amusia

Answer 20

A musical disorder that appears mainly as a defect in processing pitch but is also encompasses musical memory and recognition

Question 21

Structural Lateralization

left AC

Answer 21

Neuronal columns are wider in diameter and spaced further apart

Inter-column connections are less tangled and more highly myelinated

Question 22

Structural Lateralization

right AC

Answer 22

Denser columnar structure with smaller columns closer together

Inter-column connections more highly connected and more tangled with less myelination

Question 23

Lateralization

Answer 23

The fundamental property of brain organization

It Maximizes neural efficiency through specialization

Question 24

Why do vocal learners have rhythm

Answer 24

Synchronization. like learning requires special connections between the auditory and motor systems.

Neural foundations of the two skills overlap in the brain