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Seasonal changes in intrinsic electrophysiological activity of song control neurons in wild song sparrows

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Abstract

Song behavior and its underlying neural substrate can change seasonally in adult songbirds. To test whether environmental cues induce seasonal changes in electrophysiological characteristics of song control neurons, we measured in vitro intrinsic neuronal activity in the song control nucleus RA of adult male song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) in both the fall non-breeding and spring breeding seasons. We found that RA neurons in spring-captured birds show a more than threefold increase in spontaneous firing rate compared to those from fall-captured birds. We conclude that environmental cues are sufficient to induce seasonal changes in electrophysiological properties of song control neurons, and that changes in these properties may underlie seasonal changes in song behavior.

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Abbreviations

13:11:

13 h light:11 h dark

ACSF:

Artificial cerebrospinal fluid

AFP:

Anterior forebrain pathway

DLM:

The medial portion of the dorsolateral nucleus of the anterior thalamus

HVC:

Used as a proper name

LD + T:

Long-day photoperiod (20 h light:4 h dark) and a systemic testosterone implant

LMAN:

The lateral magnocellular nucleus of anterior nidopallium

RA:

The robust nucleus of the arcopallium

RIA:

Radioimmunoassay

SD:

Short-day photoperiod (8 h light:16 h dark)

SEM:

Standard error of the mean

T:

Testosterone

WC:

White-crowned sparrow

X:

Area X, a subdivision of the medial striatum

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Acknowledgments

We thank the members of the Perkel and Brenowitz labs for critical discussion and support, and Karin Lent for expert technical assistance. E.A.B. and D.J.P. are affiliates of the Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center. All experimental procedures followed National Institute of Health guidelines for the care and use of animals and were approved by the University of Washington Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Grant sponsors: NIH: MH068530 (D.J.P.), MH53032 (E.A.B.) P30 DC-04661 (E.W. Rubel); NSF: Graduate Research Fellowship (J.M.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    John Meitzen

  2. Department of Otolaryngology, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Room BB1148, Box 356515, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    John Meitzen & David J. Perkel

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    Eliot A. Brenowitz

  4. Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    David J. Perkel & Eliot A. Brenowitz

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  1. John Meitzen
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Correspondence to John Meitzen.

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Meitzen, J., Perkel, D.J. & Brenowitz, E.A. Seasonal changes in intrinsic electrophysiological activity of song control neurons in wild song sparrows. J Comp Physiol A 193, 677–683 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-007-0222-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-007-0222-1

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