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Kiai A, Clemens J, Kössl M, Poeppel D, Hechavarría J. Flexible control of vocal timing in Carollia perspicillata bats enables escape from acoustic interference. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1153. [PMID: 37957351 PMCID: PMC10643407 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05507-5] [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: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In natural environments, background noise can degrade the integrity of acoustic signals, posing a problem for animals that rely on their vocalizations for communication and navigation. A simple behavioral strategy to combat acoustic interference would be to restrict call emissions to periods of low-amplitude or no noise. Using audio playback and computational tools for the automated detection of over 2.5 million vocalizations from groups of freely vocalizing bats, we show that bats (Carollia perspicillata) can dynamically adapt the timing of their calls to avoid acoustic jamming in both predictably and unpredictably patterned noise. This study demonstrates that bats spontaneously seek out temporal windows of opportunity for vocalizing in acoustically crowded environments, providing a mechanism for efficient echolocation and communication in cluttered acoustic landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ava Kiai
- Institute for Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Jan Clemens
- European Neuroscience Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Manfred Kössl
- Institute for Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - David Poeppel
- Ernst Strüngmann Institute, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Julio Hechavarría
- Institute for Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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2
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Kollmansperger S, Anders M, Werner J, Saller AM, Weiss L, Süß SC, Reiser J, Schneider G, Schusser B, Baumgartner C, Fenzl T. Nociception in Chicken Embryos, Part II: Embryonal Development of Electroencephalic Neuronal Activity In Ovo as a Prerequisite for Nociception. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2839. [PMID: 37760239 PMCID: PMC10525651 DOI: 10.3390/ani13182839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chicken culling has been forbidden in Germany since 2022; male/female selection and male elimination must be brought to an embryonic status prior to the onset of nociception. The present study evaluated the ontogenetic point at which noxious stimuli could potentially be perceived/processed in the brain in ovo. EEG recordings from randomized hyperpallial brain sites were recorded in ovo and noxious stimuli were applied. Temporal and spectral analyses of the EEG were performed. The onset of physiological neuronal signals could be determined at developmental day 13. ERP/ERSP/ITC analysis did not reveal phase-locked nociceptive responses. Although no central nociceptive responses were documented, adequate EEG responses to noxious stimuli from other brain areas cannot be excluded. The extreme stress impact on the embryo during the recording may overwrite the perception of noniceptive stimuli. The results suggest developmental day 13 as the earliest embryonal stage being able to receive and process nociceptive stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Kollmansperger
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; (S.K.); (M.A.); (G.S.)
| | - Malte Anders
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; (S.K.); (M.A.); (G.S.)
- Clinical Development and Human Pain Models, Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Julia Werner
- Center for Preclinical Research, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; (J.W.); (A.M.S.); (L.W.); (S.C.S.); (J.R.); (C.B.)
| | - Anna M. Saller
- Center for Preclinical Research, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; (J.W.); (A.M.S.); (L.W.); (S.C.S.); (J.R.); (C.B.)
| | - Larissa Weiss
- Center for Preclinical Research, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; (J.W.); (A.M.S.); (L.W.); (S.C.S.); (J.R.); (C.B.)
| | - Stephanie C. Süß
- Center for Preclinical Research, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; (J.W.); (A.M.S.); (L.W.); (S.C.S.); (J.R.); (C.B.)
| | - Judith Reiser
- Center for Preclinical Research, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; (J.W.); (A.M.S.); (L.W.); (S.C.S.); (J.R.); (C.B.)
| | - Gerhard Schneider
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; (S.K.); (M.A.); (G.S.)
| | - Benjamin Schusser
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, Reproductive Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany;
| | - Christine Baumgartner
- Center for Preclinical Research, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; (J.W.); (A.M.S.); (L.W.); (S.C.S.); (J.R.); (C.B.)
| | - Thomas Fenzl
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; (S.K.); (M.A.); (G.S.)
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3
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Salles A, Neunuebel J. What do mammals have to say about the neurobiology of acoustic communication? MOLECULAR PSYCHOLOGY : BRAIN, BEHAVIOR, AND SOCIETY 2023; 2:5. [PMID: 38827277 PMCID: PMC11141777 DOI: 10.12688/molpsychol.17539.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Auditory communication is crucial across taxa, including humans, because it enables individuals to convey information about threats, food sources, mating opportunities, and other social cues necessary for survival. Comparative approaches to auditory communication will help bridge gaps across taxa and facilitate our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying this complex task. In this work, we briefly review the field of auditory communication processing and the classical champion animal, the songbird. In addition, we discuss other mammalian species that are advancing the field. In particular, we emphasize mice and bats, highlighting the characteristics that may inform how we think about communication processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeles Salles
- Biological Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Joshua Neunuebel
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
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4
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Vernes SC, Devanna P, Hörpel SG, Alvarez van Tussenbroek I, Firzlaff U, Hagoort P, Hiller M, Hoeksema N, Hughes GM, Lavrichenko K, Mengede J, Morales AE, Wiesmann M. The pale spear-nosed bat: A neuromolecular and transgenic model for vocal learning. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2022; 1517:125-142. [PMID: 36069117 PMCID: PMC9826251 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Vocal learning, the ability to produce modified vocalizations via learning from acoustic signals, is a key trait in the evolution of speech. While extensively studied in songbirds, mammalian models for vocal learning are rare. Bats present a promising study system given their gregarious natures, small size, and the ability of some species to be maintained in captive colonies. We utilize the pale spear-nosed bat (Phyllostomus discolor) and report advances in establishing this species as a tractable model for understanding vocal learning. We have taken an interdisciplinary approach, aiming to provide an integrated understanding across genomics (Part I), neurobiology (Part II), and transgenics (Part III). In Part I, we generated new, high-quality genome annotations of coding genes and noncoding microRNAs to facilitate functional and evolutionary studies. In Part II, we traced connections between auditory-related brain regions and reported neuroimaging to explore the structure of the brain and gene expression patterns to highlight brain regions. In Part III, we created the first successful transgenic bats by manipulating the expression of FoxP2, a speech-related gene. These interdisciplinary approaches are facilitating a mechanistic and evolutionary understanding of mammalian vocal learning and can also contribute to other areas of investigation that utilize P. discolor or bats as study species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja C. Vernes
- School of BiologyUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK,Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication GroupMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Paolo Devanna
- School of BiologyUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK,Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication GroupMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Stephen Gareth Hörpel
- School of BiologyUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK,Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication GroupMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands,TUM School of Life SciencesTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
| | - Ine Alvarez van Tussenbroek
- School of BiologyUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK,Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication GroupMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Uwe Firzlaff
- TUM School of Life SciencesTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
| | - Peter Hagoort
- Neurobiology of Language DepartmentMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Michael Hiller
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Faculty of Biosciences, Senckenberg Research Institute, Goethe‐UniversityFrankfurtGermany
| | - Nienke Hoeksema
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication GroupMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands,Neurobiology of Language DepartmentMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Graham M. Hughes
- School of Biology and Environmental ScienceUniversity College DublinBelfieldIreland
| | - Ksenia Lavrichenko
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication GroupMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Janine Mengede
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication GroupMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Ariadna E. Morales
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Faculty of Biosciences, Senckenberg Research Institute, Goethe‐UniversityFrankfurtGermany
| | - Maximilian Wiesmann
- Department of Medical ImagingAnatomyRadboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition & Behavior, Center for Medical Neuroscience, Preclinical Imaging Center PRIME, Radboud Alzheimer CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
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5
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Schwark RW, Fuxjager MJ, Schmidt MF. Proposing a neural framework for the evolution of elaborate courtship displays. eLife 2022; 11:e74860. [PMID: 35639093 PMCID: PMC9154748 DOI: 10.7554/elife.74860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In many vertebrates, courtship occurs through the performance of elaborate behavioral displays that are as spectacular as they are complex. The question of how sexual selection acts upon these animals' neuromuscular systems to transform a repertoire of pre-existing movements into such remarkable (if not unusual) display routines has received relatively little research attention. This is a surprising gap in knowledge, given that unraveling this extraordinary process is central to understanding the evolution of behavioral diversity and its neural control. In many vertebrates, courtship displays often push the limits of neuromuscular performance, and often in a ritualized manner. These displays can range from songs that require rapid switching between two independently controlled 'voice boxes' to precisely choreographed acrobatics. Here, we propose a framework for thinking about how the brain might not only control these displays, but also shape their evolution. Our framework focuses specifically on a major midbrain area, which we view as a likely important node in the orchestration of the complex neural control of behavior used in the courtship process. This area is the periaqueductal grey (PAG), as studies suggest that it is both necessary and sufficient for the production of many instinctive survival behaviors, including courtship vocalizations. Thus, we speculate about why the PAG, as well as its key inputs, might serve as targets of sexual selection for display behavior. In doing so, we attempt to combine core ideas about the neural control of behavior with principles of display evolution. Our intent is to spur research in this area and bring together neurobiologists and behavioral ecologists to more fully understand the role that the brain might play in behavioral innovation and diversification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan W Schwark
- Department of Biology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown UniversityProvidenceUnited States
| | - Marc F Schmidt
- Department of Biology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
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6
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Vocalization Development in Geoffroy's bat, Myotis emarginatus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). Zool Stud 2021; 60:e20. [PMID: 34853610 DOI: 10.6620/zs.2021.60-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Postnatal development of vocalization has been studied in a small number of bats, not including the Geoffroy's bat, Myotis emarginatus. In the present study, we investigated vocalization development at a maternity roost of M. emarginatus in Kerend Cave in western Iran by sequential measurement of acoustic parameters in known-age neonates using mark-recapture sampling. Newborn pups of M. emarginatus produced both short and isolation calls. Duration of short calls of 1-day-old pups was on average 7.56 ± 0.05 ms and decreased during postnatal development to reach an adult-like duration of 2.78 ± 0.13 ms in the third week. Myotis emarginatus emitted various types of isolation calls, including classic, UP-tail-FM and CF-tail during postnatal growth. As bat pups grew, both short and isolation calls changed in their spectro-temporal structure. Discriminant function analyses showed that each bat pup has a vocal signature that facilitates mother-infant communication. The current study reveals that M. emarginatus pups are highly vocal at birth, but gradually elaborate their sounds with an increase in peak, start and end frequencies as well as with a decrease in call duration throughout the postnatal growth period.
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Gibbons I, Sundaram V, Adogwa A, Odekunle A. Cytoarchitecture of the medial nucleus of trapezoid body of three neotropical species of bats (Noctilio leporinus, Phyllostomus hastatus, and Carollia perspicillata) with different foraging behavior. BRAZ J BIOL 2021; 81:909-916. [PMID: 33084736 DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.230316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study was taken to test the hypothesis that the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) of echolocating neotropical bats with different foraging behavior will exhibit morphological variations in relative size, degree of complexity and spatial distribution. The brains were collected from six male adult bats of each species: Noctilio leporinus (fish-eating), Phyllostomus hastatus (carnivorous/ omnivorous) and Carollia perspicillata (fruit-eating) and were double-embedded and transverse serial sections were cut and stained with cresyl fast violet. The results showed that the MNTB is well developed in all the bats in general and the mean length of the MNTB was 1160 ± 124 µm in N. leporinus, 400 ± 59 µm in P. hastatus and 320 ± 25µm in C. perspicillata. The body and brain weight do not reflect proportionately on the size of the MNTB in the present study. The hearing frequency spectrum did not covary with the size of the MNTB among the bats studied. The MNTB is clearly demarcated from the ventral nucleus of the trapezoid body (VNTB) only in P. hastatus. The MNTB comprised mainly three types of cells in all three bats: dense-staining multipolar cells (12.5 µm and 25.0 µm diameter); light-staining multipolar cells measuring (12.5 µm and 25.0 µm diameter) and light-staining round cells (5.0 µm diameter). The large sized MNTB was observed in N. leporinus, which suggests that it relies heavily on echolocation whereas P. hastatus and C. perspicillata use echolocation as well but also rely on hearing, smell and vision.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Gibbons
- Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - V Sundaram
- Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - A Adogwa
- Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - A Odekunle
- Anatomy Unit, Department of Preclinical Sciences, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
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8
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Hartmann K, Brecht M. A Functionally and Anatomically Bipartite Vocal Pattern Generator in the Rat Brain Stem. iScience 2020; 23:101804. [PMID: 33299974 PMCID: PMC7702002 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 10/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian vocal pattern generator is situated in the brainstem but its exact structure is debated. We mapped these circuits in rats by cooling and microstimulation. Local cooling disrupted call production above an anterior and a posterior brainstem position. Anterior cooling affected predominantly high-frequency calls, whereas posterior cooling affected low-frequency calls. Electrical microstimulation of the anterior part led to modulated high-frequency calls, whereas microstimulation of the posterior part led to flat, low-frequency calls. At intermediate positions cooling did not affect calls and stimulation did not elicit calls. The anterior region corresponds to a subsection of the parvicellular reticular formation that we term the vocalization parvicellular reticular formation (VoPaRt). The posterior vocalization sites coincide with the nucleus retroambiguus (NRA). VoPaRt and NRA neurons were very small and the VoPaRt was highly myelinated, suggestive of high-speed processing. Our data suggest an anatomically and functionally bipartite vocal pattern generator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin Hartmann
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Philippstr. 13, Haus 6, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Brecht
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Philippstr. 13, Haus 6, 10115 Berlin, Germany
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The second harmonic neurons in auditory midbrain of Hipposideros pratti are more tolerant to background white noise. Hear Res 2020; 400:108142. [PMID: 33310564 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2020.108142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Although acoustic communication is inevitably influenced by noise, behaviorally relevant sounds are perceived reliably. The noise-tolerant and -invariant responses of auditory neurons are thought to be the underlying mechanism. So, it is reasonable to speculate that neurons with best frequency tuned to behaviorally relevant sounds will play important role in noise-tolerant perception. Echolocating bats live in groups and emit multiple harmonic signals and analyze the returning echoes to extract information about the target features, making them prone to deal with noise in their natural habitat. The echolocation signal of Hipposideros pratti usually contains 3-4 harmonics (H1H4), the second harmonic has the highest amplitude and is thought to play an essential role during echolocation behavior. Therefore, it is reasonable to propose that neurons tuned to the H2, named the H2 neurons, can be more noise-tolerant to background noise. Taking advantage of bat's stereotypical echolocation signal and single-cell recording, our present study showed that the minimal threshold increases (12.2 dB) of H2 neurons in the auditory midbrain were comparable to increase in bat's call intensity (14.2 dB) observed in 70 dB SPL white noise condition, indicating that the H2 neurons could work as background noise monitor. The H2 neurons had higher minimal thresholds and sharper frequency tuning, which enabled them to be more tolerant to background noise. Furthermore, the H2 neurons had consistent best amplitude spikes and sharper intensity tuning in background white noise condition than in silence. Taken together, these results suggest that the H2 neurons might account for noise-tolerant perception of behaviorally relevant sounds.
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Radtke-Schuller S, Fenzl T, Peremans H, Schuller G, Firzlaff U. Cyto- and myeloarchitectural brain atlas of the pale spear-nosed bat (Phyllostomus discolor) in CT Aided Stereotaxic Coordinates. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 225:2509-2520. [PMID: 32936343 PMCID: PMC7544721 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02138-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The pale spear-nosed bat Phyllostomus discolor, a microchiropteran bat, is well established as an animal model for research on the auditory system, echolocation and social communication of species-specific vocalizations. We have created a brain atlas of Phyllostomus discolor that provides high-quality histological material for identification of brain structures in reliable stereotaxic coordinates to strengthen neurobiological studies of this key species. The new atlas combines high-resolution images of frontal sections alternately stained for cell bodies (Nissl) and myelinated fibers (Gallyas) at 49 rostrocaudal levels, at intervals of 350 µm. To facilitate comparisons with other species, brain structures were named according to the widely accepted Paxinos nomenclature and previous neuroanatomical studies of other bat species. Outlines of auditory cortical fields, as defined in earlier studies, were mapped onto atlas sections and onto the brain surface, together with the architectonic subdivisions of the neocortex. X-ray computerized tomography (CT) of the bat's head was used to establish the relationship between coordinates of brain structures and the skull. We used profile lines and the occipital crest as skull landmarks to line up skull and brain in standard atlas coordinates. An easily reproducible protocol allows sectioning of experimental brains in the standard frontal plane of the atlas. An electronic version of the atlas plates and supplementary material is available from https://doi.org/10.12751/g-node.8bbcxy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Radtke-Schuller
- Lehrstuhl für Zoologie, Technical University Munich, Freising, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Thomas Fenzl
- Klinikum für Anästhesiologie und Intensivmedizin am Klinikum Rechts der Isar, TU München, Munich, Germany
| | - Herbert Peremans
- Department of Engineering Management, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Gerd Schuller
- Division of Neurobiology, Department Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Uwe Firzlaff
- Lehrstuhl für Zoologie, Technical University Munich, Freising, Germany
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11
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Neural oscillations in the fronto-striatal network predict vocal output in bats. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000658. [PMID: 32191695 PMCID: PMC7081985 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to vocalize is ubiquitous in vertebrates, but neural networks underlying vocal control remain poorly understood. Here, we performed simultaneous neuronal recordings in the frontal cortex and dorsal striatum (caudate nucleus, CN) during the production of echolocation pulses and communication calls in bats. This approach allowed us to assess the general aspects underlying vocal production in mammals and the unique evolutionary adaptations of bat echolocation. Our data indicate that before vocalization, a distinctive change in high-gamma and beta oscillations (50–80 Hz and 12–30 Hz, respectively) takes place in the bat frontal cortex and dorsal striatum. Such precise fine-tuning of neural oscillations could allow animals to selectively activate motor programs required for the production of either echolocation or communication vocalizations. Moreover, the functional coupling between frontal and striatal areas, occurring in the theta oscillatory band (4–8 Hz), differs markedly at the millisecond level, depending on whether the animals are in a navigational mode (that is, emitting echolocation pulses) or in a social communication mode (emitting communication calls). Overall, this study indicates that fronto-striatal oscillations could provide a neural correlate for vocal control in bats. In bats, rhythmic activity in frontal and striatal areas of the brain provide a neural correlate for vocal control, which can be used to predict whether the ensuing vocalizations are for echolocation or social communication.
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12
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Vernes SC, Wilkinson GS. Behaviour, biology and evolution of vocal learning in bats. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 375:20190061. [PMID: 31735153 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The comparative approach can provide insight into the evolution of human speech, language and social communication by studying relevant traits in animal systems. Bats are emerging as a model system with great potential to shed light on these processes given their learned vocalizations, close social interactions, and mammalian brains and physiology. A recent framework outlined the multiple levels of investigation needed to understand vocal learning across a broad range of non-human species, including cetaceans, pinnipeds, elephants, birds and bats. Here, we apply this framework to the current state-of-the-art in bat research. This encompasses our understanding of the abilities bats have displayed for vocal learning, what is known about the timing and social structure needed for such learning, and current knowledge about the prevalence of the trait across the order. It also addresses the biology (vocal tract morphology, neurobiology and genetics) and evolution of this trait. We conclude by highlighting some key questions that should be answered to advance our understanding of the biological encoding and evolution of speech and spoken communication. This article is part of the theme issue 'What can animal communication teach us about human language?'
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja C Vernes
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, PO Box 310, Nijmegen 6500 AH, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Kapittelweg 29, Nijmegen 6525 EN, The Netherlands
| | - Gerald S Wilkinson
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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Abstract
Bat pups produce isolation calls to solicit maternal care. During maturation, pup isolation calls may gradually develop into echolocation calls or exist in parallel to them, depending on the species involved. We studied the ontogeny of isolation calls in nectivorous bats, Glossophaga soricina. Isolation calls of G. soricina pups were frequency modulated calls uttered in bouts of varying length. Newborn pups already produced both isolation calls and echolocation call precursors (which developed into ‘normal’ echolocation calls), indicating that isolation calls of G. soricina pups occur independently and exist in parallel to echolocation calls during ontogeny. We found strong statistical evidence for an individual signature encoded in isolation calls. Moreover, we provide evidence for considerable changes in isolation call parameters over a short ontogenetic time span. Throughout ontogeny, the call interval decreased significantly whereas most frequency parameters increased significantly and call entropy rose (i.e., isolation calls became less tonal but noisier).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Engler
- Cluster of Excellence “Hearing4all” and Research Centre Neurosensory Science, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Strasse 9–11, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Rose
- Institute for Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, D-89069 Ulm, Germany
| | - Mirjam Knörnschild
- Animal Behavior Lab, Free University Berlin, Takustrasse 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Building 401 Tupper, Luis Clement Avenue, Balboa Ancon, Panama, Republic of Panama
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Rodenas-Cuadrado P, Chen XS, Wiegrebe L, Firzlaff U, Vernes SC. A novel approach identifies the first transcriptome networks in bats: a new genetic model for vocal communication. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:836. [PMID: 26490347 PMCID: PMC4618519 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-2068-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2015] [Accepted: 10/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bats are able to employ an astonishingly complex vocal repertoire for navigating their environment and conveying social information. A handful of species also show evidence for vocal learning, an extremely rare ability shared only with humans and few other animals. However, despite their potential for the study of vocal communication, bats remain severely understudied at a molecular level. To address this fundamental gap we performed the first transcriptome profiling and genetic interrogation of molecular networks in the brain of a highly vocal bat species, Phyllostomus discolor. RESULTS Gene network analysis typically needs large sample sizes for correct clustering, this can be prohibitive where samples are limited, such as in this study. To overcome this, we developed a novel bioinformatics methodology for identifying robust co-expression gene networks using few samples (N=6). Using this approach, we identified tissue-specific functional gene networks from the bat PAG, a brain region fundamental for mammalian vocalisation. The most highly connected network identified represented a cluster of genes involved in glutamatergic synaptic transmission. Glutamatergic receptors play a significant role in vocalisation from the PAG, suggesting that this gene network may be mechanistically important for vocal-motor control in mammals. CONCLUSION We have developed an innovative approach to cluster co-expressing gene networks and show that it is highly effective in detecting robust functional gene networks with limited sample sizes. Moreover, this work represents the first gene network analysis performed in a bat brain and establishes bats as a novel, tractable model system for understanding the genetics of vocal mammalian communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Rodenas-Cuadrado
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Wundtlaan 1, Nijmegen, 6525 XD, The Netherlands.
| | - Xiaowei Sylvia Chen
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Wundtlaan 1, Nijmegen, 6525 XD, The Netherlands.
| | - Lutz Wiegrebe
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Division of Neurobiology, Department Biology II, Großhaderner Straße 2, Planegg-Martinsried, Munich, D-82152, Germany.
| | - Uwe Firzlaff
- Lehrstuhl für Zoologie, TU München, Liesel-Beckmann-Str. 4, Freising-Weihenstephan, Munich, 85350, Germany.
| | - Sonja C Vernes
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Wundtlaan 1, Nijmegen, 6525 XD, The Netherlands. .,Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Kapittelweg 29, Nijmegen, 6525 EN, The Netherlands.
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Ma J, Kanwal JS. Stimulation of the basal and central amygdala in the mustached bat triggers echolocation and agonistic vocalizations within multimodal output. Front Physiol 2014; 5:55. [PMID: 24624089 PMCID: PMC3942181 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2014.00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2013] [Accepted: 01/28/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The neural substrate for the perception of vocalizations is relatively well described, but how their timing and specificity are tightly coupled with accompanying physiological changes and context-appropriate behaviors remains unresolved. We hypothesized that temporally integrated vocal and emotive responses, especially the expression of fear, vigilance and aggression, originate within the amygdala. To test this hypothesis, we performed electrical microstimulation at 461 highly restricted loci within the basal and central amygdala in awake mustached bats. At a subset of these sites, high frequency stimulation with weak constant current pulses presented at near-threshold levels triggered vocalization of either echolocation pulses or social calls. At the vast majority of locations, microstimulation produced a constellation of changes in autonomic and somatomotor outputs. These changes included widespread co-activation of significant tachycardia and hyperventilation and/or rhythmic ear pinna movements (PMs). In a few locations, responses were constrained to vocalization and/or PMs despite increases in the intensity of stimulation. The probability of eliciting echolocation pulses vs. social calls decreased in a medial-posterior to anterolateral direction within the centrobasal amygdala. Microinjections of kainic acid (KA) at stimulation sites confirmed the contribution of cellular activity rather than fibers-of-passage in the control of multimodal outputs. The results suggest that localized clusters of neurons may simultaneously modulate the activity of multiple central pattern generators (CPGs) present within the brainstem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Ma
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Georgetown University Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jagmeet S Kanwal
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Georgetown University Washington, DC, USA ; Department of Neurology, Georgetown University Washington, DC, USA
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Brevity is prevalent in bat short-range communication. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2013; 199:325-33. [DOI: 10.1007/s00359-013-0793-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2012] [Revised: 01/05/2013] [Accepted: 01/05/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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17
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Projections from the paralemniscal nucleus to the spinal cord in the mouse. Brain Struct Funct 2012; 218:1307-16. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-012-0459-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2012] [Accepted: 09/15/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Jin L, Wang J, Zhang Z, Sun K, Kanwal JS, Feng J. Postnatal development of morphological and vocal features in Asian particolored bat, Vespertilio sinensis. Mamm Biol 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2012.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Ridgway SH, Elsberry WR, Blackwood DJ, Kamolnick T, Todd M, Carder DA, Chaplin M, Cranford TW. Vocal reporting of echolocation targets: dolphins often report before click trains end. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2012; 131:593-598. [PMID: 22280621 DOI: 10.1121/1.3664074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) wore opaque suction cups over their eyes while stationing behind an acoustically opaque door. This put the dolphins in a known position and orientation. When the door opened, the dolphin clicked to detect targets. Trainers specified that Dolphin S emit a whistle if the target was a 7.5 cm water filled sphere, or a pulse burst if the target was a rock. S remained quiet if there was no target. Dolphin B whistled for the sphere. She remained quiet for rock and for no target. Thus, S had to choose between three different responses, whistle, pulse burst, or remain quiet. B had to choose between two different responses, whistle or remain quiet. S gave correct vocal responses averaging 114 ms after her last echolocation click (range 182 ms before and 219 ms after the last click). Average response for B was 21 ms before her last echolocation click (range 250 ms before and 95 ms after the last click in the train). More often than not, B began her whistle response before her echolocation train ended. The findings suggest separate neural pathways for generation of response vocalizations as opposed to echolocation clicks.
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Affiliation(s)
- S H Ridgway
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive, San Diego, California 92106, USA.
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Riede T. Subglottal pressure, tracheal airflow, and intrinsic laryngeal muscle activity during rat ultrasound vocalization. J Neurophysiol 2011; 106:2580-92. [PMID: 21832032 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00478.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Vocal production requires complex planning and coordination of respiratory, laryngeal, and vocal tract movements, which are incompletely understood in most mammals. Rats produce a variety of whistles in the ultrasonic range that are of communicative relevance and of importance as a model system, but the sources of acoustic variability were mostly unknown. The goal was to identify sources of fundamental frequency variability. Subglottal pressure, tracheal airflow, and electromyographic (EMG) data from two intrinsic laryngeal muscles were measured during 22-kHz and 50-kHz call production in awake, spontaneously behaving adult male rats. During ultrasound vocalization, subglottal pressure ranged between 0.8 and 1.9 kPa. Pressure differences between call types were not significant. The relation between fundamental frequency and subglottal pressure within call types was inconsistent. Experimental manipulations of subglottal pressure had only small effects on fundamental frequency. Tracheal airflow patterns were also inconsistently associated with frequency. Pressure and flow seem to play a small role in regulation of fundamental frequency. Muscle activity, however, is precisely regulated and very sensitive to alterations, presumably because of effects on resonance properties in the vocal tract. EMG activity of cricothyroid and thyroarytenoid muscle was tonic in calls with slow or no fundamental frequency modulations, like 22-kHz and flat 50-kHz calls. Both muscles showed brief high-amplitude, alternating bursts at rates up to 150 Hz during production of frequency-modulated 50-kHz calls. A differentiated and fine regulation of intrinsic laryngeal muscles is critical for normal ultrasound vocalization. Many features of the laryngeal muscle activation pattern during ultrasound vocalization in rats are shared with other mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Riede
- Dept. of Biology and National Center for Voice and Speech, Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
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Ma J, Naumann RT, Kanwal JS. Fear conditioned discrimination of frequency modulated sweeps within species-specific calls of mustached bats. PLoS One 2010; 5:e10579. [PMID: 20485675 PMCID: PMC2868862 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0010579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2009] [Accepted: 04/07/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Social and echolocation vocalizations of bats contain different patterns of frequency modulations. An adult bat's ability to discriminate between various FM parameters, however, is not well established. Using changes in heart rate (HR) as a quantitative measure of associative learning, we demonstrate that mustached bats (Pteronotus parnellii) can be fear conditioned to linear frequency modulated (FM) sweeps typically centered at their acoustic fovea (approximately 60 kHz). We also show that HR is sensitive to a change in the direction of the conditional frequency modulation keeping all other parameters constant. In addition, a change in either depth or duration co-varied with FM rate is reflected in the change in HR. Finally, HR increases linearly with FM rate incremented by 0.1 kHz/ms from a pure tone to a target rate of 1.0 kHz/ms of the conditional stimulus. Learning is relatively rapid, occurring after a single training session. We also observed that fear conditioning enhances local field potential activity within the basolateral amygdala. Neural response enhancement coinciding with rapid learning and a fine scale cortical representation of FM sweeps shown earlier make FMs prime candidates for discriminating between different call types and possibly communicating socially relevant information within species-specific sounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Ma
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Georgetown University, Washington, D. C., United States of America
| | - Robert T. Naumann
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Georgetown University, Washington, D. C., United States of America
| | - Jagmeet S. Kanwal
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Georgetown University, Washington, D. C., United States of America
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23
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Hage SR. Localization of the central pattern generator for vocalization. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-374593-4.00031-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
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24
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Rubow TK, Bass AH. Reproductive and diurnal rhythms regulate vocal motor plasticity in a teleost fish. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 212:3252-62. [PMID: 19801430 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.032748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Seasonal and circadian rhythms control fundamental physiological processes including neural excitability and synaptic plasticity that can lead to the periodic modulation of motor behaviors like social vocalizations. Parental male midshipman fish produce three call types during the breeding season: long duration (min to >1 h) advertisement 'hums', frequency and amplitude modulated agonistic 'growls' (s), and very brief (ms) agonistic 'grunts' produced either singly or repetitively as ;grunt trains' for up to several minutes. Fictive grunts that establish the temporal properties of natural grunts are readily evoked and recorded in vivo from vocal occipital nerve roots at any time of day or year by electrical microstimulation in either the midbrain periaqueductal gray or a hindbrain vocal pre-pacemaker nucleus. Now, as shown here, the longer duration fictive growls and hums can also be elicited, but are restricted to the nocturnal reproductive season. A significant drop in call threshold accompanies the fictive growls and hums that are distinguished by their much longer duration and lower and more regular firing frequency. Lastly, the long duration fictive calls are dependent upon increased stimulation time and intensity and hence may result from activity-dependent changes in the vocal motor circuit that are themselves modulated by seasonal and circadian rhythms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tine K Rubow
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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Melcón ML, Schnitzler HU, Denzinger A. Variability of the approach phase of landing echolocating Greater Mouse-eared bats. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2008; 195:69-77. [DOI: 10.1007/s00359-008-0383-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2008] [Revised: 10/09/2008] [Accepted: 10/19/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Hoffmann S, Firzlaff U, Radtke-Schuller S, Schwellnus B, Schuller G. The auditory cortex of the bat Phyllostomus discolor: Localization and organization of basic response properties. BMC Neurosci 2008; 9:65. [PMID: 18625034 PMCID: PMC2483289 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2202-9-65] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2008] [Accepted: 07/14/2008] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mammalian auditory cortex can be subdivided into various fields characterized by neurophysiological and neuroarchitectural properties and by connections with different nuclei of the thalamus. Besides the primary auditory cortex, echolocating bats have cortical fields for the processing of temporal and spectral features of the echolocation pulses. This paper reports on location, neuroarchitecture and basic functional organization of the auditory cortex of the microchiropteran bat Phyllostomus discolor (family: Phyllostomidae). RESULTS The auditory cortical area of P. discolor is located at parieto-temporal portions of the neocortex. It covers a rostro-caudal range of about 4800 mum and a medio-lateral distance of about 7000 mum on the flattened cortical surface. The auditory cortices of ten adult P. discolor were electrophysiologically mapped in detail. Responses of 849 units (single neurons and neuronal clusters up to three neurons) to pure tone stimulation were recorded extracellularly. Cortical units were characterized and classified depending on their response properties such as best frequency, auditory threshold, first spike latency, response duration, width and shape of the frequency response area and binaural interactions. Based on neurophysiological and neuroanatomical criteria, the auditory cortex of P. discolor could be subdivided into anterior and posterior ventral fields and anterior and posterior dorsal fields. The representation of response properties within the different auditory cortical fields was analyzed in detail. The two ventral fields were distinguished by their tonotopic organization with opposing frequency gradients. The dorsal cortical fields were not tonotopically organized but contained neurons that were responsive to high frequencies only. CONCLUSION The auditory cortex of P. discolor resembles the auditory cortex of other phyllostomid bats in size and basic functional organization. The tonotopically organized posterior ventral field might represent the primary auditory cortex and the tonotopically organized anterior ventral field seems to be similar to the anterior auditory field of other mammals. As most energy of the echolocation pulse of P. discolor is contained in the high-frequency range, the non-tonotopically organized high-frequency dorsal region seems to be particularly important for echolocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Hoffmann
- Department Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Grosshaderner Strasse 2, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
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Schwartz C, Tressler J, Keller H, Vanzant M, Ezell S, Smotherman M. The tiny difference between foraging and communication buzzes uttered by the Mexican free-tailed bat, Tadarida brasiliensis. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2007; 193:853-63. [PMID: 17503051 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-007-0237-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2006] [Revised: 04/23/2007] [Accepted: 04/28/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Echolocating insectivorous bats consummate prey captures using a distinct vocal motor pattern commonly known as the terminal or feeding buzz, which is widely considered a fixed motor pattern executed independently of auditory feedback influences. The Mexican free-tailed bat, Tadarida brasiliensis, offers an opportunity to explore the role of sensory feedback in buzzing because they emit similar buzzes both in flight during foraging and while stationary as communication sounds. Here we compared the spectral and temporal patterns of foraging and communication buzzes to address whether or not auditory feedback may influence buzz patterns. We found that while foraging buzzes uttered in open space were composed of generic FM calls, communication buzzes were composed of an adapted CF-FM call similar to the call type used by T. brasiliensis when navigating in confined spaces. This provides the first evidence that some bats can make significant context-dependent changes in the spectral parameters of calls within their buzz. We also found that inter-pulse intervals, but not call durations, were different within the two buzz types. These observations indicate that though a common pattern generator hierarchically organizes all buzzes, T. brasiliensis retains a significant capacity to adapt the spectral and temporal patterns of elements within its buzzes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Schwartz
- Biology Department, Texas A&M University, 3258 TAMU, College Station, TX 77845-3258, USA.
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Fenzl T, Schuller G. Dissimilarities in the vocal control over communication and echolocation calls in bats. Behav Brain Res 2006; 182:173-9. [PMID: 17227683 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2006.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2006] [Revised: 12/18/2006] [Accepted: 12/20/2006] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Bats, like other mammals, use communication calls for social interaction, but rely at the same time on sophisticated echolocation systems for orientation and prey capture. Both call types are of laryngeal origin, but can be distinguished on the basis of their spectral and temporal features and apparently their functional involvement as well. Although they share a common final motor pathway, there is evidence that separate vocally active brainstem areas are involved in the functional control of communication and echolocation calls. This review summarizes findings that support the above assumption, and focus on the functional involvement of the periaqueductal gray, the paralemniscal area, and the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus, in differentiated vocal control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Fenzl
- Max-Planck-Institute for Psychiatry, Neurogenetics of Sleep, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, D-80804 Munich, Germany
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Jürgens U, Hage SR. On the role of the reticular formation in vocal pattern generation. Behav Brain Res 2006; 182:308-14. [PMID: 17173983 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2006.11.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2006] [Revised: 11/15/2006] [Accepted: 11/16/2006] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
This review is an attempt to localize the brain region responsible for pattern generation of species-specific vocalizations. A catalogue is set up, listing the criteria considered to be essential for a vocal pattern generator. According to this catalogue, a vocal pattern generator should show vocalization-correlated activity, starting before vocal onset and reflecting specific acoustic features of the vocalization. Artificial activation by electrical or glutamatergic stimulation should produce artificially sounding vocalization. Lesioning is expected to have an inhibitory or deteriorating effect on vocalization. Anatomically, a vocal pattern generator can be assumed to have direct or, at least, oligosynaptic connections with all the motoneuron pools involved in phonation. A survey of the literature reveals that the only area meeting all these criteria is a region, reaching from the parvocellular pontine reticular formation just above the superior olive through the lateral reticular formation around the facial nucleus and nucleus ambiguus down to the caudalmost medulla, including the dorsal and ventral reticular nuclei and nucleus retroambiguus. It is proposed that vocal pattern generation takes place within this whole region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uwe Jürgens
- Department of Neurobiology, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
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