Testing the long-term stability of a neural code in songbirds

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Testing the long-term stability of a neural code in songbirds Jeffrey Markowitz1* 1 Boston University, United States Memories, habits, and motor skills may persist for a lifetime but little is known about the stability of neural activity underlying this persistence of memory. In an effort to study the limits of stability in a stereotyped neural code, we have continuously monitored neural activity from the pre-motor nucleus HVC in singing zebra finches. To perform long-term recordings, we developed minimally invasive carbon fiber electrodes designed to minimize immune rejection. In these recordings we find detailed spiking pattern patterns that persist for months. Furthermore, after nerve damage to the syrinx (vocal organ), we find evidence that central motor patterns remain unchanged for a minimum of one month, despite disruption of the acoustic form of the song. These findings suggest that learned motor sequences, produced by cortical-thalamic loops, can be remarkably stable, even in the absence of normal proprioceptive and sensory feedback. We discuss these results in the context of current knowledge of motor stability in other vertebrate behaviors, and consider prospects for studying the ontogeny of song motor sequences as young birds learn to sing. Keywords: Electrophysiology Conference: 4th INCF Congress of Neuroinformatics, Boston, United States, 4 Sep - 6 Sep, 2011. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: Electrophysiology Citation: Markowitz J (2011). Testing the long-term stability of a neural code in songbirds. Front. Neuroinform. Conference Abstract: 4th INCF Congress of Neuroinformatics. doi: 10.3389/conf.fninf.2011.08.00153 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 17 Oct 2011; Published Online: 19 Oct 2011. * Correspondence: Dr. Jeffrey Markowitz, Boston University, Boston, United States, jmarkow@cns.bu.edu Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Jeffrey Markowitz Google Jeffrey Markowitz Google Scholar Jeffrey Markowitz PubMed Jeffrey Markowitz Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.