Neural mechanisms underlying the sensory and sensorimotor learning of birdsong

Abstract

Communication is a natural social behavior that influences reproduction and survival; consequently, central questions in neuroethology involve discovering how activity in distinct neural populations regulates the performance, perception, and development of communication signals. Advances in the monitoring and manipulation of neural activity (including tools to record, stimulate, or inactivate specific neuron types) and the acquisition and analysis of communication signals (e.g., machine learning) provide unprecedented power to address fundamental questions about animal communication. Here we highlight recent insights into the neural mechanisms of communication, focusing on vocal development and plasticity in songbirds. We review recent discoveries about the sensory processing of birdsong, the contributions of inhibitory, excitatory, and neuromodulatory populations to song learning and performance, and the interplay between motor and sensory circuitry including the role of vocal practice. These studies not only deepen our understanding of behavioral plasticity but also challenge and expand models of song development, plasticity, and performance.