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Ghazanfar AA, Gomez-Marin A. The central role of the individual in the history of brains. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 163:105744. [PMID: 38825259 PMCID: PMC11246226 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2024] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Every species' brain, body and behavior is shaped by the contingencies of their evolutionary history; these exert pressures that change their developmental trajectories. There is, however, another set of contingencies that shape us and other animals: those that occur during a lifetime. In this perspective piece, we show how these two histories are intertwined by focusing on the individual. We suggest that organisms--their brains and behaviors--are not solely the developmental products of genes and neural circuitry but individual centers of action unfolding in time. To unpack this idea, we first emphasize the importance of variation and the central role of the individual in biology. We then go over "errors in time" that we often make when comparing development across species. Next, we reveal how an individual's development is a process rather than a product by presenting a set of case studies. These show developmental trajectories as emerging in the contexts of the "the actual now" and "the presence of the past". Our consideration reveals that individuals are slippery-they are never static; they are a set of on-going, creative activities. In light of this, it seems that taking individual development seriously is essential if we aspire to make meaningful comparisons of neural circuits and behavior within and across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asif A Ghazanfar
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, and Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
| | - Alex Gomez-Marin
- Behavior of Organisms Laboratory, Instituto de Neurociencias CSIC-UMH, Alicante 03550, Spain.
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2
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Wagner B, Toro JM, Mayayo F, Hoeschele M. Do rats ( Rattus norvegicus) perceive octave equivalence, a critical human cross-cultural aspect of pitch perception? ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:221181. [PMID: 39076801 PMCID: PMC11286135 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Octave equivalence describes the perception that two notes separated by a doubling in frequency have a similar quality. In humans, octave equivalence is important to both music and language learning and is found cross-culturally. Cross-species studies comparing human and non-human animals can help illuminate the necessary pre-conditions to developing octave equivalence. Here, we tested whether rats (Rattus norvegicus) perceive octave equivalence using a standardized cross-species paradigm. This allowed us to disentangle concurring hypotheses regarding the evolutionary roots of this phenomenon. One hypothesis is that octave equivalence is directly connected to vocal learning, but this hypothesis is only partially supported by data. According to another hypothesis, the harmonic structure of mammalian vocalizations may be more important. If rats perceive octave equivalence, this would support the importance of vocal harmonic structure. If rats do not perceive octave equivalence, this would suggest that octave equivalence evolved independently in several mammalian clades due to a more complex interplay of different factors such as-but not exclusively-the ability to vocally learn. Evidence from our study suggests that rats do perceive octave equivalence, thereby suggesting that the harmonic vocal structure found in mammals may be a key pre-requisite for octave equivalence. Stage 1 approved protocol: the study reported here was originally accepted as a Registered Report and the study design was approved in Stage 1. We hereby confirm that the completed experiment(s) have been executed and analysed in the manner originally approved with any unforeseen changes in those approved methods and analyses clearly noted. The approved Stage 1 protocol can be found at: https://osf.io/gvf7c/?view_only=76dc1840f31c4f9ab59eb93cbadb98b7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Wagner
- Austrian Academy of Sciences, Acoustics Research Institute, Vienna1040, Austria
| | - Juan Manuel Toro
- Passeig de Lluís Companys, Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona08010, Spain
- C. Ramon Trias Fargas, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona08005, Spain
| | - Ferran Mayayo
- C. Ramon Trias Fargas, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona08005, Spain
| | - Marisa Hoeschele
- Austrian Academy of Sciences, Acoustics Research Institute, Vienna1040, Austria
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3
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Nagarajan G, Matrov D, Pearson AC, Yen C, Bradley SP, Chudasama Y. Cingulate cortex shapes early postnatal development of social vocalizations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.17.580738. [PMID: 38529485 PMCID: PMC10962701 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.17.580738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
The social dynamics of vocal behavior has major implications for social development in humans. We asked whether early life damage to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which is closely associated with socioemotional regulation more broadly, impacts the normal development of vocal expression. The common marmoset provides a unique opportunity to study the developmental trajectory of vocal behavior, and to track the consequences of early brain damage on aspects of social vocalizations. We created ACC lesions in neonatal marmosets and compared their pattern of vocalization to that of age-matched controls throughout the first 6 weeks of life. We found that while early life ACC lesions had little influence on the production of vocal calls, developmental changes to the quality of social contact calls and their associated syntactical and acoustic characteristics were compromised. These animals made fewer social contact calls, and when they did, they were short, loud and monotonic. We further determined that damage to ACC in infancy results in a permanent alteration in downstream brain areas known to be involved in social vocalizations, such as the amygdala and periaqueductal gray. Namely, in the adult, these structures exhibited diminished GABA-immunoreactivity relative to control animals, likely reflecting disruption of the normal inhibitory balance following ACC deafferentation. Together, these data indicate that the normal development of social vocal behavior depends on the ACC and its interaction with other areas in the vocal network during early life.
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4
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Shinohara H, Meguro-Horike M, Inoue T, Shimazu M, Hattori M, Hibino H, Fukasawa K, Sasaki E, Horike SI. Early parental deprivation during primate infancy has a lifelong impact on gene expression in the male marmoset brain. Sci Rep 2024; 14:330. [PMID: 38172165 PMCID: PMC10764730 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-51025-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Adverse early life experiences are well-established risk factors for neurological disorders later in life. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the impact of adverse experiences on neurophysiological systems throughout life remain incompletely understood. Previous studies suggest that social attachment to parents in early development are indispensable for infants to grow into healthy adults. In situations where multiple offspring are born in a single birth in common marmosets, human hand-rearing is employed to ensure the survival of the offspring in captivity. However, hand-reared marmosets often exhibit behavioral abnormalities, including abnormal vocalizations, excessive attachment to the caretaker, and aggressive behavior. In this study, comprehensive transcriptome analyses were conducted on hippocampus tissues, a neuroanatomical region sensitive to social attachment, obtained from human hand-reared (N = 6) and parent-reared male marmosets (N = 5) at distinct developmental stages. Our analyses revealed consistent alterations in a subset of genes, including those related to neurodevelopmental diseases, across different developmental stages, indicating their continuous susceptibility to the effects of early parental deprivation. These findings highlight the dynamic nature of gene expression in response to early life experiences and suggest that the impact of early parental deprivation on gene expression may vary across different stages of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruka Shinohara
- Department of Marmoset Biology and Medicine, Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, 210-0821, Japan
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Makiko Meguro-Horike
- Division of Integrated Omics Research, Research Center for Experimental Modeling of Human Disease, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-0934, Japan
| | - Takashi Inoue
- Department of Marmoset Biology and Medicine, Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, 210-0821, Japan
| | - Miyuki Shimazu
- Division of Integrated Omics Research, Research Center for Experimental Modeling of Human Disease, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-0934, Japan
| | - Machiko Hattori
- Yaotsu Breeding Center, CLEA Japan, Inc, Yaotsu-cho, Kamo-gun, Gifu, 505-0307, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Hibino
- Yaotsu Breeding Center, CLEA Japan, Inc, Yaotsu-cho, Kamo-gun, Gifu, 505-0307, Japan
| | - Kazumasa Fukasawa
- Yaotsu Breeding Center, CLEA Japan, Inc, Yaotsu-cho, Kamo-gun, Gifu, 505-0307, Japan
| | - Erika Sasaki
- Department of Marmoset Biology and Medicine, Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, 210-0821, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichi Horike
- Division of Integrated Omics Research, Research Center for Experimental Modeling of Human Disease, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-0934, Japan.
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan.
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5
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An R, Lu C, Wang C, Chang L, Huang J, Jiang F, Xu TL, Gong N. Developmental Patterns and Gender Differences of Vocal Production in Marmoset Monkeys. Neurosci Bull 2024; 40:133-138. [PMID: 37914957 PMCID: PMC10774232 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-023-01137-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ruixin An
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Chaocheng Lu
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Wulumuqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Chen Wang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Liangtang Chang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Junfeng Huang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Fan Jiang
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Tian-Le Xu
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China.
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Technology, Shanghai, 201210, China.
| | - Neng Gong
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Technology, Shanghai, 201210, China.
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6
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Langehennig-Peristenidou A, Romero-Mujalli D, Bergmann T, Scheumann M. Features of animal babbling in the vocal ontogeny of the gray mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus). Sci Rep 2023; 13:21384. [PMID: 38049448 PMCID: PMC10696017 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47919-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In human infants babbling is an important developmental stage of vocal plasticity to acquire maternal language. To investigate parallels in the vocal development of human infants and non-human mammals, seven key features of human babbling were defined, which are up to date only shown in bats and marmosets. This study will explore whether these features can also be found in gray mouse lemurs by investigating how infant vocal streams gradually resemble the structure of the adult trill call, which is not present at birth. Using unsupervised clustering, we distinguished six syllable types, whose sequential order gradually reflected the adult trill. A subset of adult syllable types was produced by several infants, with the syllable production being rhythmic, repetitive, and independent of the social context. The temporal structure of the calling bouts and the tempo-spectral features of syllable types became adult-like at the age of weaning. The age-dependent changes in the acoustic parameters differed between syllable types, suggesting that they cannot solely be explained by physical maturation of the vocal apparatus. Since gray mouse lemurs exhibit five features of animal babbling, they show parallels to the vocal development of human infants, bats, and marmosets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Romero-Mujalli
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 17, 30559, Hannover, Germany
- Department for Environment Constructions and Design, Institute of Microbiology (IM), University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), 6850, Mendrisio, Switzerland
| | - Tjard Bergmann
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 17, 30559, Hannover, Germany
| | - Marina Scheumann
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 17, 30559, Hannover, Germany
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7
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Zhao L, Wang X. Frontal cortex activity during the production of diverse social communication calls in marmoset monkeys. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6634. [PMID: 37857618 PMCID: PMC10587070 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42052-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Vocal communication is essential for social behaviors in humans and non-human primates. While the frontal cortex is crucial to human speech production, its role in vocal production in non-human primates has long been questioned. It is unclear whether activities in the frontal cortex represent diverse vocal signals used in non-human primate communication. Here we studied single neuron activities and local field potentials (LFP) in the frontal cortex of male marmoset monkeys while the animal engaged in vocal exchanges with conspecifics in a social environment. We found that both single neuron activities and LFP were modulated by the production of each of the four major call types. Moreover, neural activities showed distinct patterns for different call types and theta-band LFP oscillations showed phase-locking to the phrases of twitter calls, suggesting a neural representation of vocalization features. Our results suggest important functions of the marmoset frontal cortex in supporting the production of diverse vocalizations in communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingyun Zhao
- Laboratory of Auditory Neurophysiology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
| | - Xiaoqin Wang
- Laboratory of Auditory Neurophysiology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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8
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Grijseels DM, Prendergast BJ, Gorman JC, Miller CT. The neurobiology of vocal communication in marmosets. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2023; 1528:13-28. [PMID: 37615212 PMCID: PMC10592205 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
An increasingly popular animal model for studying the neural basis of social behavior, cognition, and communication is the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). Interest in this New World primate across neuroscience is now being driven by their proclivity for prosociality across their repertoire, high volubility, and rapid development, as well as their amenability to naturalistic testing paradigms and freely moving neural recording and imaging technologies. The complement of these characteristics set marmosets up to be a powerful model of the primate social brain in the years to come. Here, we focus on vocal communication because it is the area that has both made the most progress and illustrates the prodigious potential of this species. We review the current state of the field with a focus on the various brain areas and networks involved in vocal perception and production, comparing the findings from marmosets to other animals, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dori M Grijseels
- Cortical Systems and Behavior Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Brendan J Prendergast
- Cortical Systems and Behavior Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Julia C Gorman
- Cortical Systems and Behavior Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Cory T Miller
- Cortical Systems and Behavior Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
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9
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Wagner B, Šlipogor V, Oh J, Varga M, Hoeschele M. A comparison between common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) and human infants sheds light on traits proposed to be at the root of human octave equivalence. Dev Sci 2023; 26:e13395. [PMID: 37101383 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Two notes separated by a doubling in frequency sound similar to humans. This "octave equivalence" is critical to perception and production of music and speech and occurs early in human development. Because it also occurs cross-culturally, a biological basis of octave equivalence has been hypothesized. Members of our team previousy suggested four human traits are at the root of this phenomenon: (1) vocal learning, (2) clear octave information in vocal harmonics, (3) differing vocal ranges, and (4) vocalizing together. Using cross-species studies, we can test how relevant these respective traits are, while controlling for enculturation effects and addressing questions of phylogeny. Common marmosets possess forms of three of the four traits, lacking differing vocal ranges. We tested 11 common marmosets by adapting an established head-turning paradigm, creating a parallel test to an important infant study. Unlike human infants, marmosets responded similarly to tones shifted by an octave or other intervals. Because previous studies with the same head-turning paradigm produced differential results to discernable acoustic stimuli in common marmosets, our results suggest that marmosets do not perceive octave equivalence. Our work suggests differing vocal ranges between adults and children and men and women and the way they are used in singing together may be critical to the development of octave equivalence. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: A direct comparison of octave equivalence tests with common marmosets and human infants Marmosets show no octave equivalence Results emphasize the importance of differing vocal ranges between adults and infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Wagner
- Acoustics Research Institute, Austrian Academy of the Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Vedrana Šlipogor
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jinook Oh
- Cremer Group, Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Marion Varga
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marisa Hoeschele
- Acoustics Research Institute, Austrian Academy of the Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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10
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Kell AJ, Bokor SL, Jeon YN, Toosi T, Issa EB. Marmoset core visual object recognition behavior is comparable to that of macaques and humans. iScience 2022; 26:105788. [PMID: 36594035 PMCID: PMC9804140 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the smallest simian primates, the common marmoset offers promise as an experimentally tractable primate model for neuroscience with translational potential to humans. However, given its exceedingly small brain and body, the gap in perceptual and cognitive abilities between marmosets and humans requires study. Here, we performed a comparison of marmoset behavior to that of three other species in the domain of high-level vision. We first found that marmosets outperformed rats - a marmoset-sized rodent - on a simple recognition task, with marmosets robustly recognizing objects across views. On a more challenging invariant object recognition task used previously in humans, marmosets also achieved high performance. Notably, across hundreds of images, marmosets' image-by-image behavior was highly similar to that of humans - nearly as human-like as macaque behavior. Thus, core aspects of visual perception are conserved across monkeys and humans, and marmosets present salient behavioral advantages over other small model organisms for visual neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J.E. Kell
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA,Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Sophie L. Bokor
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA,Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - You-Nah Jeon
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA,Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Tahereh Toosi
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA,Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Elias B. Issa
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA,Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA,Corresponding author
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11
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Elmlinger SL, Goldstein MH, Casillas M. Immature Vocalizations Simplify the Speech of Tseltal Mayan and U.S. Caregivers. Top Cogn Sci 2022; 15:315-328. [PMID: 36426721 DOI: 10.1111/tops.12632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
What is the function of immature vocalizing in early learning environments? Previous work on infants in the United States indicates that prelinguistic vocalizations elicit caregiver speech which is simplified in its linguistic structure. However, there is substantial cross-cultural variation in the extent to which children's vocalizations elicit responses from caregivers. In the current study, we ask whether children's vocalizations elicit similar changes in their immediate caregivers' speech structure across two cultural sites with differing perspectives on how to interact with infants and young children. Here, we compare Tseltal Mayan and U.S. caregivers' verbal responses to their children's vocalizations. Similar to findings from U.S. dyads, we found that children from the Tseltal community regulate the statistical structure of caregivers' speech simply by vocalizing. Following the interaction burst hypothesis, where clusters of child-adult contingent response alternations facilitate learning from limited input, we reveal a stable source of information that may facilitate language learning within ongoing interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marisa Casillas
- Department of Comparative Human Development University of Chicago
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12
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Bouchet H, Lemasson A, Collier K, Marker L, Schmidt-Küntzel A, Johnston B, Hausberger M. Early life experience and sex influence acoustic repertoire use in wild-born, but hand-reared, captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus). Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22309. [PMID: 36282750 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Early deprivation of adult influence is known to have long-lasting effects on social abilities, notably communication skills, as adults play a key role in guiding and regulating the behavior of youngsters, including acoustic repertoire use in species in which vocal production is not learned. Cheetahs grow up alongside their mother for 18 months, thus maternal influences on the development of social skills are likely to be crucial. Here, we investigated the impact of early maternal deprivation on vocal production and use in 12 wild-born cheetahs, rescued and subsequently hand-reared either at an early (less than 2 months) or a later stage of development. We could distinguish 16 sound types, produced mostly singly but sometimes in repeated or multitype sound sequences. The repertoire of these cheetahs did not differ fundamentally from that described in other studies on adult cheetahs, but statistical analyses revealed a concurrent effect of both early experience and sex on repertoire use. More specifically, early-reared males were characterized by a high proportion of Purr, Meow, and Stutter; early-reared females Mew, Growl, Hoot, Sneeze, and Hiss; late-reared males Meow, Mew, Growl, and Howl; and late-reared females mostly Meow. Our study demonstrates therefore the long-term effects of maternal deprivation on communication skills in a limited-vocal learner and its differential effect according to sex, in line with known social differences and potential differential maternal investment. More generally, it emphasizes the critical importance to consider the past history of the subjects (e.g., captive/wild-born, mother/hand-reared, early/late-mother-deprived, etc.) when studying social behavior, notably acoustic communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélène Bouchet
- CNRS, EthoS (Ethologie animale et humaine), Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, UMR 6552, Paimpont, France
| | - Alban Lemasson
- CNRS, EthoS (Ethologie animale et humaine), Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, UMR 6552, Rennes, France.,Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Katie Collier
- CNRS, EthoS (Ethologie animale et humaine), Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, UMR 6552, Paimpont, France
| | | | | | | | - Martine Hausberger
- CNRS, EthoS (Ethologie animale et humaine), Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, UMR 6552, Paimpont, France
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13
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Burkart JM, Adriaense JEC, Brügger RK, Miss FM, Wierucka K, van Schaik CP. A convergent interaction engine: vocal communication among marmoset monkeys. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210098. [PMID: 35876206 PMCID: PMC9315454 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
To understand the primate origins of the human interaction engine, it is worthwhile to focus not only on great apes but also on callitrichid monkeys (marmosets and tamarins). Like humans, but unlike great apes, callitrichids are cooperative breeders, and thus habitually engage in coordinated joint actions, for instance when an infant is handed over from one group member to another. We first explore the hypothesis that these habitual cooperative interactions, the marmoset interactional ethology, are supported by the same key elements as found in the human interaction engine: mutual gaze (during joint action), turn-taking, volubility, as well as group-wide prosociality and trust. Marmosets show clear evidence of these features. We next examine the prediction that, if such an interaction engine can indeed give rise to more flexible communication, callitrichids may also possess elaborate communicative skills. A review of marmoset vocal communication confirms unusual abilities in these small primates: high volubility and large vocal repertoires, vocal learning and babbling in immatures, and voluntary usage and control. We end by discussing how the adoption of cooperative breeding during human evolution may have catalysed language evolution by adding these convergent consequences to the great ape-like cognitive system of our hominin ancestors. This article is part of the theme issue 'Revisiting the human 'interaction engine': comparative approaches to social action coordination'.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. M. Burkart
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution ISLE, University of Zurich, Affolternstrasse 56, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - J. E. C. Adriaense
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - R. K. Brügger
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - F. M. Miss
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - K. Wierucka
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - C. P. van Schaik
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution ISLE, University of Zurich, Affolternstrasse 56, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland
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14
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Elmlinger SL, Park D, Schwade JA, Goldstein MH. Comparing Word Diversity Versus Amount of Speech in Parents’ Responses to Infants’ Prelinguistic Vocalizations. IEEE Trans Cogn Dev Syst 2022. [DOI: 10.1109/tcds.2021.3095766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Deokgun Park
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
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15
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Selection levels on vocal individuality: strategic use or byproduct. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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16
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Narayanan DZ, Takahashi DY, Kelly LM, Hlavaty SI, Huang J, Ghazanfar AA. Prenatal development of neonatal vocalizations. eLife 2022; 11:78485. [PMID: 35880740 PMCID: PMC9391037 DOI: 10.7554/elife.78485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human and non-human primates produce rhythmical sounds as soon as they are born. These early vocalizations are important for soliciting the attention of caregivers. How they develop, remains a mystery. The orofacial movements necessary for producing these vocalizations have distinct spatiotemporal signatures. Therefore, their development could potentially be tracked over the course of prenatal life. We densely and longitudinally sampled fetal head and orofacial movements in marmoset monkeys using ultrasound imaging. We show that orofacial movements necessary for producing rhythmical vocalizations differentiate from a larger movement pattern that includes the entire head. We also show that signature features of marmoset infant contact calls emerge prenatally as a distinct pattern of orofacial movements. Our results establish that aspects of the sensorimotor development necessary for vocalizing occur prenatally, even before the production of sound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darshana Z Narayanan
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, United States
| | - Daniel Y Takahashi
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, United States
| | - Lauren M Kelly
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, United States
| | - Sabina I Hlavaty
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, United States
| | - Junzhou Huang
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, United States
| | - Asif A Ghazanfar
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, United States
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17
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Samandra R, Haque ZZ, Rosa MGP, Mansouri FA. The marmoset as a model for investigating the neural basis of social cognition in health and disease. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 138:104692. [PMID: 35569579 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Social-cognitive processes facilitate the use of environmental cues to understand others, and to be understood by others. Animal models provide vital insights into the neural underpinning of social behaviours. To understand social cognition at even deeper behavioural, cognitive, neural, and molecular levels, we need to develop more representative study models, which allow testing of novel hypotheses using human-relevant cognitive tasks. Due to their cooperative breeding system and relatively small size, common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) offer a promising translational model for such endeavours. In addition to having social behavioural patterns and group dynamics analogous to those of humans, marmosets have cortical brain areas relevant for the mechanistic analysis of human social cognition, albeit in simplified form. Thus, they are likely suitable animal models for deciphering the physiological processes, connectivity and molecular mechanisms supporting advanced cognitive functions. Here, we review findings emerging from marmoset social and behavioural studies, which have already provided significant insights into executive, motivational, social, and emotional dysfunction associated with neurological and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranshikha Samandra
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Zakia Z Haque
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Marcello G P Rosa
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; ARC Centre for Integrative Brain Function, Monash University, Australia.
| | - Farshad Alizadeh Mansouri
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; ARC Centre for Integrative Brain Function, Monash University, Australia.
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18
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Faust KM, Goldstein MH. Adult exploration predicts parental responsiveness to juvenile songs in zebra finch parent–juvenile interactions. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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19
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Lameira AR, Santamaría-Bonfil G, Galeone D, Gamba M, Hardus ME, Knott CD, Morrogh-Bernard H, Nowak MG, Campbell-Smith G, Wich SA. Sociality predicts orangutan vocal phenotype. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:644-652. [PMID: 35314786 PMCID: PMC9085614 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01689-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
In humans, individuals' social setting determines which and how language is acquired. Social seclusion experiments show that sociality also guides vocal development in songbirds and marmoset monkeys, but absence of similar great ape data has been interpreted as support to saltational notions for language origin, even if such laboratorial protocols are unethical with great apes. Here we characterize the repertoire entropy of orangutan individuals and show that in the wild, different degrees of sociality across populations are associated with different 'vocal personalities' in the form of distinct regimes of alarm call variants. In high-density populations, individuals are vocally more original and acoustically unpredictable but new call variants are short lived, whereas individuals in low-density populations are more conformative and acoustically consistent but also exhibit more complex call repertoires. Findings provide non-invasive evidence that sociality predicts vocal phenotype in a wild great ape. They prove false hypotheses that discredit great apes as having hardwired vocal development programmes and non-plastic vocal behaviour. Social settings mould vocal output in hominids besides humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano R Lameira
- Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
| | - Guillermo Santamaría-Bonfil
- Instituto Nacional de Electricidad y Energías Limpias, Gerencia de Tecnologías de la Información, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Deborah Galeone
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Gamba
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Cheryl D Knott
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Helen Morrogh-Bernard
- Borneo Nature Foundation, Palangka Raya, Indonesia
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Matthew G Nowak
- The PanEco Foundation-Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme, Berg am Irchel, Switzerland
- Department of Anthropology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA
| | - Gail Campbell-Smith
- Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia, International Animal Rescue, Ketapang, Indonesia
| | - Serge A Wich
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
- Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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20
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Zhang Y, Alvarez JL, Ghazanfar AA. Arousal elevation drives the development of oscillatory vocal output. J Neurophysiol 2022; 127:1519-1531. [PMID: 35475704 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00007.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult behaviors, such as vocal production, often exhibit temporal regularity. In contrast, their immature forms are more irregular. We ask whether the coupling of motor behaviors with arousal changes give rise to temporal regularity. Do they drive the transition from variable to regular motor output over the course of development? We used marmoset monkey vocal production to explore this putative influence of arousal on the nonlinear changes in their developing vocal output patterns. Based on a detailed analysis of vocal and arousal dynamics in marmosets, we put forth a general model incorporating arousal and auditory-feedback loops for spontaneous vocal production. Using this model, we show that a stable oscillation can emerge as the baseline arousal increases, predicting the transition from stochastic to periodic oscillations observed during marmoset vocal development. We further provide a solution for how this model can explain vocal development as the joint consequence of energetic growth and social feedback. Together, we put forth a plausible mechanism for the development of arousal-mediated adaptive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yisi Zhang
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
| | - John Luis Alvarez
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
| | - Asif A Ghazanfar
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States.,Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States
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21
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Nakagami A, Yasue M, Nakagaki K, Nakamura M, Kawai N, Ichinohe N. Reduced childhood social attention in autism model marmosets predicts impaired social skills and inflexible behavior in adulthood. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:885433. [PMID: 35958665 PMCID: PMC9357878 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.885433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social and communication impairments and restricted and repetitive behavior. Although there is currently no established cure for ASD, early interventions for deficits of attention to other individuals are expected to reduce the progression of ASD symptoms in later life. To confirm this hypothesis and improve early therapeutic interventions, it is desirable to develop an animal model of ASD in which social attention is impaired in childhood and ASD-like social behavior is observed in adulthood. However, rodent models of ASD have difficulty in recapitulating the deficit of gaze-based social attention. In this study, we examined the direction of gaze toward other conspecifics during childhood and puberty in a three-chamber test setting using an ASD marmoset model produced by maternal exposure to valproic acid (VPA). We also conducted a reversal learning test in adult VPA-exposed marmosets as an indicator of perseveration, a core symptom of ASD that has not previously been investigated in this model. The results showed that time spent gazing at other conspecifics was reduced in VPA-exposed marmosets in childhood, and that mature animals persisted with previous strategies that required long days for acquisition to pass the test. In a longitudinal study using the same animals, deficits in social attention in childhood correlated well with ASD-like social disturbance (inequity aversion and third-party reciprocity) and inflexible behavior in adulthood. Since VPA-exposed marmosets exhibit these diverse ASD-like behaviors that are consistent from childhood to adulthood, VPA-exposed marmosets will provide a valuable means of elucidating mechanisms for early intervention and contribute to the development of early therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Nakagami
- Graduate School of Information Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.,Department of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan.,Department of Psychology, Japan Women's University, Bunkyo-ku, Japan
| | - Miyuki Yasue
- Graduate School of Information Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.,Department of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan
| | - Keiko Nakagaki
- Department of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan
| | - Madoka Nakamura
- Graduate School of Information Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.,Department of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Kawai
- Graduate School of Information Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.,Academy of Emerging Science, Chubu University, Kasugai, Japan
| | - Noritaka Ichinohe
- Department of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan
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22
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Zeng HH, Huang JF, Li JR, Shen Z, Gong N, Wen YQ, Wang L, Poo MM. Distinct neuron populations for simple and compound calls in the primary auditory cortex of awake marmosets. Natl Sci Rev 2021; 8:nwab126. [PMID: 34876995 PMCID: PMC8645005 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwab126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Marmosets are highly social non-human primates that live in families. They exhibit rich vocalization, but the neural basis underlying this complex vocal communication is largely unknown. Here we report the existence of specific neuron populations in marmoset A1 that respond selectively to distinct simple or compound calls made by conspecific marmosets. These neurons were spatially dispersed within A1 but distinct from those responsive to pure tones. Call-selective responses were markedly diminished when individual domains of the call were deleted or the domain sequence was altered, indicating the importance of the global rather than local spectral-temporal properties of the sound. Compound call-selective responses also disappeared when the sequence of the two simple-call components was reversed or their interval was extended beyond 1 s. Light anesthesia largely abolished call-selective responses. Our findings demonstrate extensive inhibitory and facilitatory interactions among call-evoked responses, and provide the basis for further study of circuit mechanisms underlying vocal communication in awake non-human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan-huan Zeng
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jun-feng Huang
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100086, China
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jun-ru Li
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Zhiming Shen
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Neng Gong
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Yun-qing Wen
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai 200031, China
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23
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Ter Haar SM, Fernandez AA, Gratier M, Knörnschild M, Levelt C, Moore RK, Vellema M, Wang X, Oller DK. Cross-species parallels in babbling: animals and algorithms. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200239. [PMID: 34482727 PMCID: PMC8419573 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A key feature of vocal ontogeny in a variety of taxa with extensive vocal repertoires is a developmental pattern in which vocal exploration is followed by a period of category formation that results in a mature species-specific repertoire. Vocal development preceding the adult repertoire is often called ‘babbling’, a term used to describe aspects of vocal development in species of vocal-learning birds, some marine mammals, some New World monkeys, some bats and humans. The paper summarizes the results of research on babbling in examples from five taxa and proposes a unifying definition facilitating their comparison. There are notable similarities across these species in the developmental pattern of vocalizations, suggesting that vocal production learning might require babbling. However, the current state of the literature is insufficient to confirm this suggestion. We suggest directions for future research to elucidate this issue, emphasizing the importance of (i) expanding the descriptive data and seeking species with complex mature repertoires where babbling may not occur or may occur only to a minimal extent; (ii) (quasi-)experimental research to tease apart possible mechanisms of acquisition and/or self-organizing development; and (iii) computational modelling as a methodology to test hypotheses about the origins and functions of babbling. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Vocal learning in animals and humans’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sita M Ter Haar
- Cognitive Neurobiology and Helmholtz Institute, Department of Psychology, Utrecht University, PO Box 80086, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ahana A Fernandez
- Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Maya Gratier
- Laboratoire Ethologie, Cognition, Développement, Paris Nanterre University, Nanterre, France
| | - Mirjam Knörnschild
- Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany.,Animal Behavior Lab, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama
| | - Claartje Levelt
- Leiden University Centre for Linguistics, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Roger K Moore
- Department Computer Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Michiel Vellema
- Cognitive Neurobiology and Helmholtz Institute, Department of Psychology, Utrecht University, PO Box 80086, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Xiaoqin Wang
- Laboratory of Auditory Neurophysiology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - D Kimbrough Oller
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA.,Institute for Intelligent Systems, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA.,Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Klosterneuburg, Austria
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24
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Watanabe S, Kurotani T, Oga T, Noguchi J, Isoda R, Nakagami A, Sakai K, Nakagaki K, Sumida K, Hoshino K, Saito K, Miyawaki I, Sekiguchi M, Wada K, Minamimoto T, Ichinohe N. Functional and molecular characterization of a non-human primate model of autism spectrum disorder shows similarity with the human disease. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5388. [PMID: 34526497 PMCID: PMC8443557 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25487-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a multifactorial disorder with characteristic synaptic and gene expression changes. Early intervention during childhood is thought to benefit prognosis. Here, we examined the changes in cortical synaptogenesis, synaptic function, and gene expression from birth to the juvenile stage in a marmoset model of ASD induced by valproic acid (VPA) treatment. Early postnatally, synaptogenesis was reduced in this model, while juvenile-age VPA-treated marmosets showed increased synaptogenesis, similar to observations in human tissue. During infancy, synaptic plasticity transiently increased and was associated with altered vocalization. Synaptogenesis-related genes were downregulated early postnatally. At three months of age, the differentially expressed genes were associated with circuit remodeling, similar to the expression changes observed in humans. In summary, we provide a functional and molecular characterization of a non-human primate model of ASD, highlighting its similarity to features observed in human ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Watanabe
- grid.419280.60000 0004 1763 8916Department of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo Japan
| | - Tohru Kurotani
- grid.419280.60000 0004 1763 8916Department of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo Japan
| | - Tomofumi Oga
- grid.419280.60000 0004 1763 8916Department of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo Japan
| | - Jun Noguchi
- grid.419280.60000 0004 1763 8916Department of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo Japan
| | - Risa Isoda
- grid.419280.60000 0004 1763 8916Department of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo Japan
| | - Akiko Nakagami
- grid.419280.60000 0004 1763 8916Department of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo Japan ,grid.411827.90000 0001 2230 656XDepartment of Psychology, Japan Women’s University, Kawasaki, Kanagawa Japan
| | - Kazuhisa Sakai
- grid.419280.60000 0004 1763 8916Department of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo Japan
| | - Keiko Nakagaki
- grid.419280.60000 0004 1763 8916Department of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo Japan
| | - Kayo Sumida
- grid.459996.e0000 0004 0376 2692Environmental Health Science Laboratory, Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd., Konohana-ku, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kohei Hoshino
- grid.417741.00000 0004 1797 168XPreclinical Research Laboratories, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd., Konohana-ku, Osaka, Japan
| | - Koichi Saito
- grid.459996.e0000 0004 0376 2692Environmental Health Science Laboratory, Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd., Konohana-ku, Osaka, Japan
| | - Izuru Miyawaki
- grid.417741.00000 0004 1797 168XPreclinical Research Laboratories, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd., Konohana-ku, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masayuki Sekiguchi
- grid.419280.60000 0004 1763 8916Department of Degenerative Neurological Diseases, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo Japan
| | - Keiji Wada
- grid.419280.60000 0004 1763 8916Department of Degenerative Neurological Diseases, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo Japan
| | - Takafumi Minamimoto
- grid.482503.80000 0004 5900 003XDepartment of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Chiba, Japan
| | - Noritaka Ichinohe
- grid.419280.60000 0004 1763 8916Department of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo Japan
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25
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Varella TT, Ghazanfar AA. Cooperative care and the evolution of the prelinguistic vocal learning. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:1583-1588. [PMID: 33826142 PMCID: PMC8355020 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The development of the earliest vocalizations of human infants is influenced by social feedback from caregivers. As these vocalizations change, they increasingly elicit such feedback. This pattern of development is in stark contrast to that of our close phylogenetic relatives, Old World monkeys and apes, who produce mature-sounding vocalizations at birth. We put forth a scenario to account for this difference: Humans have a cooperative breeding strategy, which pressures infants to compete for the attention from caregivers. Humans use this strategy because large brained human infants are energetically costly and born altricial. An altricial brain accommodates vocal learning. To test this hypothetical scenario, we present findings from New World marmoset monkeys indicating that, through convergent evolution, this species adopted a largely identical developmental system-one that includes vocal learning and cooperative breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago T. Varella
- Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544, USA
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544, USA
| | - Asif A. Ghazanfar
- Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544, USA
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544, USA
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544, USA
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26
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Gultekin YB, Hildebrand DGC, Hammerschmidt K, Hage SR. High plasticity in marmoset monkey vocal development from infancy to adulthood. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/27/eabf2938. [PMID: 34193413 PMCID: PMC8245035 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf2938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The vocal behavior of human infants undergoes marked changes across their first year while becoming increasingly speech-like. Conversely, vocal development in nonhuman primates has been assumed to be largely predetermined and completed within the first postnatal months. Contradicting this assumption, we found a dichotomy between the development of call features and vocal sequences in marmoset monkeys, suggestive of a role for experience. While changes in call features were related to physical maturation, sequences of and transitions between calls remained flexible until adulthood. As in humans, marmoset vocal behavior developed in stages correlated with motor and social development stages. These findings are evidence for a prolonged phase of plasticity during marmoset vocal development, a crucial primate evolutionary preadaptation for the emergence of vocal learning and speech.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasemin B Gultekin
- Neurobiology of Social Communication, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Medical Center, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - David G C Hildebrand
- Laboratory of Neural Systems, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Kurt Hammerschmidt
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Steffen R Hage
- Neurobiology of Social Communication, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Medical Center, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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27
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Santana-Coelho D, Layne-Colon D, Valdespino R, Ross CC, Tardif SD, O'Connor JC. Advancing Autism Research From Mice to Marmosets: Behavioral Development of Offspring Following Prenatal Maternal Immune Activation. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:705554. [PMID: 34421684 PMCID: PMC8377364 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.705554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanism(s) by which maternal immune activation (MIA) during gestation may disrupt neurodevelopment and increase the susceptibility for disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or schizophrenia is a critical step in the development of better treatments and preventive measures. A large body of literature has investigated the pathophysiology of MIA in rodents. However, a translatability gap plagues pre-clinical research of complex behavioral/developmental diseases and those diseases requiring clinical diagnosis, such as ASD. While ideal for their genetic flexibility, vast reagent toolkit, and practicality, rodent models often lack important elements of ethological validity. Hence, our study aimed to develop and characterize the prenatal MIA model in marmosets. Here, we adapted the well-characterized murine maternal immune activation model. Pregnant dams were administered 5 mg/kg poly-L-lysine stabilized polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (Poly ICLC) subcutaneously three times during gestation (gestational day 63, 65, and 67). Dams were allowed to deliver naturally with no further experimental treatments. After parturition, offspring were screened for general health and vigor, and individual assessment of communication development and social behavior was measured during neonatal or adolescent periods. Similar to rodent models, offspring subjected to MIA exhibited a disruption in patterns of communication during early development. Assessment of social behavior in a marmoset-modified 3-chamber test at 3 and 9 months of age revealed alterations in social behavior that, in some instances, was sex-dependent. Together, our data indicate that marmosets are an excellent non-human primate model for investigating the neurodevelopmental and behavioral consequences of exposure to prenatal challenges, like MIA. Additional studies are necessary to more completely characterize the effect of prenatal inflammation on marmoset development and explore therapeutic intervention strategies that may be applicable in a clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Santana-Coelho
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Donna Layne-Colon
- Southwest National Primate Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Roslyn Valdespino
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Corinna C Ross
- Southwest National Primate Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Suzette D Tardif
- Southwest National Primate Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Jason C O'Connor
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States.,Audie L. Murphy Veterans Affairs, South Texas Veterans Health System, San Antonio, TX, United States
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28
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Barker AJ, Koch U, Lewin GR, Pyott SJ. Hearing and Vocalizations in the Naked Mole-Rat. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1319:157-195. [PMID: 34424516 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-65943-1_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Since their discovery, naked mole-rats have been speaking to us. Early field studies noted their extensive vocalizations, and scientists who are fortunate enough to spend time with these creatures in the laboratory setting cannot help but notice their constant peeping, chirruping and grunting (Hill et al., Proc Zool Soc Lond 128:455-514, 1957). Yet, few dwell on the function of these chirps and peeps, being instead drawn to the many other extraordinary aspects of naked mole-rat physiology detailed throughout this book. Still, no biology is complete without a description of how an organism communicates. While the field of naked mole-rat bioacoustics and acoustic communication has been largely silent for many years, we highlight recent progress in understanding how and what Heterocephalus glaber hears and which vocalizations it uses. These efforts are essential for a complete understanding of naked mole-rat cooperation, society and even culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison J Barker
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Max-von-Laue-Straße 4, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ursula Koch
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gary R Lewin
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sonja J Pyott
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head/Neck Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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29
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Fischer J, Wegdell F, Trede F, Dal Pesco F, Hammerschmidt K. Vocal convergence in a multi-level primate society: insights into the evolution of vocal learning. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20202531. [PMID: 33323082 PMCID: PMC7779498 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The extent to which nonhuman primate vocalizations are amenable to modification through experience is relevant for understanding the substrate from which human speech evolved. We examined the vocal behaviour of Guinea baboons, Papio papio, ranging in the Niokolo Koba National Park in Senegal. Guinea baboons live in a multi-level society, with units nested within parties nested within gangs. We investigated whether the acoustic structure of grunts of 27 male baboons of two gangs varied with party/gang membership and genetic relatedness. Males in this species are philopatric, resulting in increased male relatedness within gangs and parties. Grunts of males that were members of the same social levels were more similar than those of males in different social levels (N = 351 dyads for comparison within and between gangs, and N = 169 dyads within and between parties), but the effect sizes were small. Yet, acoustic similarity did not correlate with genetic relatedness, suggesting that higher amounts of social interactions rather than genetic relatedness promote the observed vocal convergence. We consider this convergence a result of sensory-motor integration and suggest this to be an implicit form of vocal learning shared with humans, in contrast to the goal-directed and intentional explicit form of vocal learning unique to human speech acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Primate Cognition, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Franziska Wegdell
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Franziska Trede
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Federica Dal Pesco
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kurt Hammerschmidt
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
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30
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Zhang YS, Ghazanfar AA. A Hierarchy of Autonomous Systems for Vocal Production. Trends Neurosci 2020; 43:115-126. [PMID: 31955902 PMCID: PMC7213988 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2019.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Revised: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Vocal production is hierarchical in the time domain. These hierarchies build upon biomechanical and neural dynamics across various timescales. We review studies in marmoset monkeys, songbirds, and other vertebrates. To organize these data in an accessible and across-species framework, we interpret the different timescales of vocal production as belonging to different levels of an autonomous systems hierarchy. The first level accounts for vocal acoustics produced on short timescales; subsequent levels account for longer timescales of vocal output. The hierarchy of autonomous systems that we put forth accounts for vocal patterning, sequence generation, dyadic interactions, and context dependence by sequentially incorporating central pattern generators, intrinsic drives, and sensory signals from the environment. We then show the framework's utility by providing an integrative explanation of infant vocal production learning in which social feedback modulates infant vocal acoustics through the tuning of a drive signal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yisi S Zhang
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
| | - Asif A Ghazanfar
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
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31
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Fischer J, Hammerschmidt K. Towards a new taxonomy of primate vocal production learning. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190045. [PMID: 31735147 PMCID: PMC6895554 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The extent to which vocal learning can be found in nonhuman primates is key to reconstructing the evolution of speech. Regarding the adjustment of vocal output in relation to auditory experience (vocal production learning in the narrow sense), effects on the ontogenetic trajectory of vocal development as well as adjustment to group-specific call features have been found. Yet, a comparison of the vocalizations of different primate genera revealed striking similarities in the structure of calls and repertoires in different species of the same genus, indicating that the structure of nonhuman primate vocalizations is highly conserved. Thus, modifications in relation to experience only appear to be possible within relatively tight species-specific constraints. By contrast, comprehension learning may be extremely rapid and open-ended. In conjunction, these findings corroborate the idea of an ancestral independence of vocal production and auditory comprehension learning. To overcome the futile debate about whether or not vocal production learning can be found in nonhuman primates, we suggest putting the focus on the different mechanisms that may mediate the adjustment of vocal output in response to experience; these mechanisms may include auditory facilitation and learning from success. This article is part of the theme issue 'What can animal communication teach us about human language?'
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen, Niedersachsen 37077, Germany
- Department of Primate Cognition, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Niedersachsen, Germany
- Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kurt Hammerschmidt
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen, Niedersachsen 37077, Germany
- Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
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32
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Nieder A, Mooney R. The neurobiology of innate, volitional and learned vocalizations in mammals and birds. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190054. [PMID: 31735150 PMCID: PMC6895551 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Vocalization is an ancient vertebrate trait essential to many forms of communication, ranging from courtship calls to free verse. Vocalizations may be entirely innate and evoked by sexual cues or emotional state, as with many types of calls made in primates, rodents and birds; volitional, as with innate calls that, following extensive training, can be evoked by arbitrary sensory cues in non-human primates and corvid songbirds; or learned, acoustically flexible and complex, as with human speech and the courtship songs of oscine songbirds. This review compares and contrasts the neural mechanisms underlying innate, volitional and learned vocalizations, with an emphasis on functional studies in primates, rodents and songbirds. This comparison reveals both highly conserved and convergent mechanisms of vocal production in these different groups, despite their often vast phylogenetic separation. This similarity of central mechanisms for different forms of vocal production presents experimentalists with useful avenues for gaining detailed mechanistic insight into how vocalizations are employed for social and sexual signalling, and how they can be modified through experience to yield new vocal repertoires customized to the individual's social group. This article is part of the theme issue 'What can animal communication teach us about human language?'
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Nieder
- Animal Physiology Unit, Institute of Neurobiology, University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Richard Mooney
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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33
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Bodin C, Belin P. Exploring the cerebral substrate of voice perception in primate brains. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 375:20180386. [PMID: 31735143 PMCID: PMC6895549 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
One can consider human language to be the Swiss army knife of the vast domain of animal communication. There is now growing evidence suggesting that this technology may have emerged from already operational material instead of being a sudden innovation. Sharing ideas and thoughts with conspecifics via language constitutes an amazing ability, but what value would it hold if our conspecifics were not first detected and recognized? Conspecific voice (CV) perception is fundamental to communication and widely shared across the animal kingdom. Two questions that arise then are: is this apparently shared ability reflected in common cerebral substrate? And, how has this substrate evolved? The paper addresses these questions by examining studies on the cerebral basis of CV perception in humans' closest relatives, non-human primates. Neuroimaging studies, in particular, suggest the existence of a ‘voice patch system’, a network of interconnected cortical areas that can provide a common template for the cerebral processing of CV in primates. This article is part of the theme issue ‘What can animal communication teach us about human language?’
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Affiliation(s)
- Clémentine Bodin
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, UMR 7289 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Pascal Belin
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, UMR 7289 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France.,Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
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34
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Zürcher Y, Willems EP, Burkart JM. Are dialects socially learned in marmoset monkeys? Evidence from translocation experiments. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0222486. [PMID: 31644527 PMCID: PMC6808547 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The acoustic properties of vocalizations in common marmosets differ between populations. These differences may be the result of social vocal learning, but they can also result from environmental or genetic differences between populations. We performed translocation experiments to separately quantify the influence of a change in the physical environment (experiment 1), and a change in the social environment (experiment 2) on the acoustic properties of calls from individual captive common marmosets. If population differences were due to genetic differences, we expected no change in the vocalizations of the translocated marmosets. If differences were due to environmental factors, we expected vocalizations to permanently change contingent with environmental changes. If social learning was involved, we expected that the vocalizations of animals translocated to a new population with a different dialect would become more similar to the new population. In experiment 1, we translocated marmosets to a different physical environment without changing the social composition of the groups or their neighbours. Immediately after the translocation to the new facility, one out of three call types showed a significant change in call structure, but 5-6 weeks later, the calls were no longer different from before the translocation. Thus, the novel physical environment did not induce long lasting changes in the vocalizations of the marmosets. In experiment 2, we translocated marmosets to a new population with a different dialect. Importantly, our previous work had shown that these two populations differed significantly in vocalization structure. The translocated marmosets were still housed in their original social group, but after translocation they were surrounded by the vocalizations from neighbouring groups of the new population. The vocal distance between the translocated individuals and the new population decreased for two out of three call types over 16 weeks. Thus, even without direct social contact or interaction, the vocalizations of the translocated animals converged towards the new population, indicating that common marmosets can modify their calls due to acoustic input from conspecifics alone, via crowd vocal learning. To our knowledge, this is the first study able to distinguish between different explanations for vocal dialects as well as to show crowd vocal learning in a primate species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne Zürcher
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Erik P. Willems
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Judith M. Burkart
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse, Zürich, Switzerland
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35
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Zhang YS, Takahashi DY, Liao DA, Ghazanfar AA, Elemans CPH. Vocal state change through laryngeal development. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4592. [PMID: 31597928 PMCID: PMC6785551 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12588-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Across vertebrates, progressive changes in vocal behavior during postnatal development are typically attributed solely to developing neural circuits. How the changing body influences vocal development remains unknown. Here we show that state changes in the contact vocalizations of infant marmoset monkeys, which transition from noisy, low frequency cries to tonal, higher pitched vocalizations in adults, are caused partially by laryngeal development. Combining analyses of natural vocalizations, motorized excised larynx experiments, tensile material tests and high-speed imaging, we show that vocal state transition occurs via a sound source switch from vocal folds to apical vocal membranes, producing louder vocalizations with higher efficiency. We show with an empirically based model of descending motor control how neural circuits could interact with changing laryngeal dynamics, leading to adaptive vocal development. Our results emphasize the importance of embodied approaches to vocal development, where exploiting biomechanical consequences of changing material properties can simplify motor control, reducing the computational load on the developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yisi S Zhang
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Daniel Y Takahashi
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Diana A Liao
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Asif A Ghazanfar
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA.
- Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA.
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA.
| | - Coen P H Elemans
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230, Odense M, Denmark.
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36
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Elmlinger SL, Schwade JA, Goldstein MH. The ecology of prelinguistic vocal learning: parents simplify the structure of their speech in response to babbling. JOURNAL OF CHILD LANGUAGE 2019; 46:998-1011. [PMID: 31307565 DOI: 10.1017/s0305000919000291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
What is the function of babbling in language learning? We examined the structure of parental speech as a function of contingency on infants' non-cry prelinguistic vocalizations. We analyzed several acoustic and linguistic measures of caregivers' speech. Contingent speech was less lexically diverse and shorter in utterance length than non-contingent speech. We also found that the lexical diversity of contingent parental speech only predicted infant vocal maturity. These findings illustrate a new form of influence infants have over their ambient language in everyday learning environments. By vocalizing, infants catalyze the production of simplified, more easily learnable language from caregivers.
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37
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Lameira AR, Shumaker RW. Orangutans show active voicing through a membranophone. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12289. [PMID: 31444387 PMCID: PMC6707206 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48760-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Active voicing - voluntary control over vocal fold oscillation - is essential for speech. Nonhuman great apes can learn new consonant- and vowel-like calls, but active voicing by our closest relatives has historically been the hardest evidence to concede to. To resolve this controversy, a diagnostic test for active voicing is reached here through the use of a membranophone: a musical instrument where a player's voice flares a membrane's vibration through oscillating air pressure. We gave the opportunity to use a membranophone to six orangutans (with no effective training), three of whom produced a priori novel (species-atypical) individual-specific vocalizations. After 11 and 34 min, two subjects were successful by producing their novel vocalizations into the instrument, hence, confirming active voicing. Beyond expectation, however, within <1 hour, both subjects found opposite strategies to significantly alter their voice duration and frequency to better activate the membranophone, further demonstrating plastic voice control as a result of experience with the instrument. Results highlight how individual differences in vocal proficiency between great apes may affect performance in experimental tests. Failing to adjust a test's difficulty level to individuals' vocal skill may lead to false negatives, which may have largely been the case in past studies now used as "textbook fact" for great ape "missing" vocal capacities. Results qualitatively differ from small changes that can be caused in innate monkey calls by intensive months-long conditional training. Our findings verify that active voicing beyond the typical range of the species' repertoire, which in our species underpins the acquisition of new voiced speech sounds, is not uniquely human among great apes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano R Lameira
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St. Andrews, St Andrews, UK. .,Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, UK.
| | - Robert W Shumaker
- Indianapolis Zoo, Indianapolis, USA.,Krasnow Institute for Advanced Studies, George Mason University, Fairfax, USA.,Anthropology Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA
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38
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Pomberger T, Risueno-Segovia C, Gultekin YB, Dohmen D, Hage SR. Cognitive control of complex motor behavior in marmoset monkeys. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3796. [PMID: 31439849 PMCID: PMC6706403 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11714-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Marmosets have attracted significant interest in the life sciences. Similarities with human brain anatomy and physiology, such as the granular frontal cortex, as well as the development of transgenic lines and potential for transferring rodent neuroscientific techniques to small primates make them a promising neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric model system. However, whether marmosets can exhibit complex motor tasks in highly controlled experimental designs—one of the prerequisites for investigating higher-order control mechanisms underlying cognitive motor behavior—has not been demonstrated. We show that marmosets can be trained to perform vocal behavior in response to arbitrary visual cues in controlled operant conditioning tasks. Our results emphasize the marmoset as a suitable model to study complex motor behavior and the evolution of cognitive control underlying speech. Whether marmosets can exhibit complex motor tasks in controlled experimental designs has not yet been demonstrated. Here, the authors show that marmoset monkeys can be trained to call on command in controlled operant conditioning tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Pomberger
- Neurobiology of Vocal Communication, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Graduate School of Neural & Behavioural Sciences, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Österberg-Str. 3, 72074, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Cristina Risueno-Segovia
- Neurobiology of Vocal Communication, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Graduate School of Neural & Behavioural Sciences, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Österberg-Str. 3, 72074, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Yasemin B Gultekin
- Neurobiology of Vocal Communication, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Graduate School of Neural & Behavioural Sciences, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Österberg-Str. 3, 72074, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Deniz Dohmen
- Neurobiology of Vocal Communication, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Graduate School of Neural & Behavioural Sciences, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Österberg-Str. 3, 72074, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Steffen R Hage
- Neurobiology of Vocal Communication, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
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39
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Gustison ML, Borjon JI, Takahashi DY, Ghazanfar AA. Vocal and locomotor coordination develops in association with the autonomic nervous system. eLife 2019; 8:e41853. [PMID: 31310236 PMCID: PMC6684270 DOI: 10.7554/elife.41853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In adult animals, movement and vocalizations are coordinated, sometimes facilitating, and at other times inhibiting, each other. What is missing is how these different domains of motor control become coordinated over the course of development. We investigated how postural-locomotor behaviors may influence vocal development, and the role played by physiological arousal during their interactions. Using infant marmoset monkeys, we densely sampled vocal, postural and locomotor behaviors and estimated arousal fluctuations from electrocardiographic measures of heart rate. We found that vocalizations matured sooner than postural and locomotor skills, and that vocal-locomotor coordination improved with age and during elevated arousal levels. These results suggest that postural-locomotor maturity is not required for vocal development to occur, and that infants gradually improve coordination between vocalizations and body movement through a process that may be facilitated by arousal level changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan L Gustison
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Jeremy I Borjon
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Department of PsychologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Daniel Y Takahashi
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Department of PsychologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Asif A Ghazanfar
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Department of PsychologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
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Chi T, Liu M, Tan X, Sun K, Jin L, Feng J. Syllable merging during ontogeny in Hipposideros larvatus. BIOACOUSTICS 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2019.1610906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Chi
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Muxun Liu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiao Tan
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Keping Sun
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Longru Jin
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
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Carouso-Peck S, Goldstein MH. Female Social Feedback Reveals Non-imitative Mechanisms of Vocal Learning in Zebra Finches. Curr Biol 2019; 29:631-636.e3. [PMID: 30713105 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Learning of song in birds provides a powerful model for human speech development [1-3]. However, the degree to which songbirds and humans share social mechanisms of vocal learning is unknown. Although it has been demonstrated as a vocal learning mechanism in human infants [3-6], learning via active social feedback is considered rare and atypical among non-human animals [7]. We report here the first evidence that song learning in the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), the most common model species of vocal learning and development, utilizes socially guided vocal learning. We demonstrate experimentally that the songs of juvenile zebra finches are guided toward mature vocal forms by real-time visual feedback from adult females that is contingent on their early, immature vocalizations. Using a video playback paradigm, we found that juvenile birds that received non-vocal female feedback contingently on their immature song learned significantly better and more accurate song than did yoked controls that received identical but non-contingent feedback. Both contingent and non-contingent groups sang at similar rates. Thus, we have provided the first evidence suggesting that non-imitative social learning is a crucial, potentially widespread mechanism of vocal development and have established a foundational parallel between humans and our most ubiquitous animal model of vocal learning: the crucial role of social feedback to immature vocalizations in the development of communication.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael H Goldstein
- Department of Psychology, Uris Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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Pomberger T, Hage SR. Semi-chronic laminar recordings in the brainstem of behaving marmoset monkeys. J Neurosci Methods 2019; 311:186-192. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2018.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Revised: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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