Partial muting leads to age-dependent modification of motor patterns underlying crystallized zebra finch song

摘要: The crystallized structure of adult zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) song is modifiable if sensory feedback altered during sound production. Such plasticity has been studied by examining acoustic modifications to the motif; however, underlying changes vocal motor patterns these have not addressed. Adult birds in two age categories (young = 90–120 days or middle aged 150–250 days) that sang were used experiment. Vocal monitored recording respiratory air sac pressure before, during, and after was induced partial complete reduction phonation (i.e., “partial muting”). Birds recorded until observed (up 160 days). Young more likely insert shorter duration (<125 ms) expiratory pulses (EPs) into motif than middle-aged adults. These EPs produced with a unique pattern relative intact song, therefore appeared be generated novel gestures. Stuttering (atypical repetition an EP) when inserted motif, regardless age. EP distance call, which also learned vocalization finches, showed similar shortened song. emergence related production, nonspecific effects surgical procedure, suggests age-dependent neural process for plasticity. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol,