State‐dependent hemispheric specialization in the songbird brain

摘要: Lateralization of brain functions is a widespread phenomenon in vertebrates. With the well-known lateralization processing human speech and parallels that exist between birdsong language, songbirds are interesting for addressing such questions. In present study, we investigated central communicative artificial sounds starlings, an integrative part song system: HVC. Neuronal responses to acoustic stimuli were systematically recorded both hemispheres while birds awake, then anesthetized, allowing quantitative comparisons obtained each situation. The total proportion responsive sites HVC left right all revealed significant predominance hemisphere when whereas high interindividual variability appeared anesthetized. When neuronal as whole further examined, type stimulus be nonrandomly distributed over different situations, some specialization may appear. results suggest complex state-dependent hemispheric toward behaviorally relevant classes stimuli. awake birds, more involved songs used individual recognition at distance, deal with long sequences short-distance communication, especially males females. under anesthesia, this pattern strongly modified. J. Comp. Neurol. 487:48–60, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.