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Laboratory for Vocal Behavior Mechanisms
Neal A. HESSLER
Laboratory Head
Neal A. HESSLER (Ph.D.)
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Research Areas

Learning to vocalize is crucially important to humans. Songbirds are among the few animals that share this ability. This lab studies song learning as an example of a complex learned behavior, and aims to characterize the neural networks and processing mechanisms that allow this learning. As is true for human speech, birdsong in many species is most easily learned when the animal is very young. We anatomical and physiological techniques to investigate the cellular and molecular basis of this critical period for vocal learning.In addition to studies on vocal learning, we study the way in which social information strongly influences brain activity and behavior during song communication.

Research Subject

  1. Influence of social context on vocal behavior
  2. Circuits and physiological processes underlying vocal learning
  3. Cellular and molecular bases of the critical period for vocal learning

Related links

  1. RIKEN Brain Science Institute Website_Laboratories PageNew Window
  2. Individual Website Laboratory PageNew Window

Press release

October 01, 2008
When a bird sings a love song, the brain feels ultimate happiness, suggesting that the brain recognizes love as reward and making a chirp as no reward.

RIKEN RESEARCH

January 23, 2009
The rewards of courtship
Social interactions with females induce synaptic plasticity in dopamine neurons of male songbirdsNew Window

List of Selected Publications

  1. Yanagihara S & Hessler NA.:
    " Phasic basal ganglia activity associated with high-gamma oscillation during sleep in a songbird. J."
    J.Neurophysiol 107(1):424-32(2012)
  2. Yanagihara S & Hessler NA.:
    " Common features of neural activity during singing and sleep periods in a basal ganglia nucleus critical for vocal learning in a juvenile songbird"
    PLoS One 6(10):e25879(2011)
  3. Hara E., Kubikova L., Hessler N.A. and Jarvis E.D.:
    " Assessing visual requirements for social context-dependent activation of the songbird song system."
    Proc Biol Sci. Jan 22;276(1655):279-89 (2009)
  4. Huang YC, Hessler N.A.:
    " Social modulation during songbird courtship potentiates midbrain dopaminergic neurons."
    PLoS ONE. Oct 1;3(10):e3281(2008)
  5. Hara E., Kubikova L., Hessler N.A. and Jarvis E.D.:
    " Role of the midbrain dopaminergic system in modulation of vocal brain activation by social context"
    European Journal of Neuroscience, 25(11), 3406-3416 (2007)
  6. George I. A., Hara E. and Hessler N.A.:
    " Behavioral and neural lateralization of vision in courtship singing of the zebra finch"
    Journal of Neurobiology, 66(10), 1164-1173 (2006)
  7. Yanagihara S. and Hessler N.A.:
    " Modulation of singing-related activity in the songbird ventral tegmental area by social context"
    European Journal of Neuroscience, 24(12), 3619-3627 (2006)
  8. Wang, J. and Hessler, N.A.:
    " Coordination of presynaptic and postsynaptic maturation in a zebra finch forebrain motor control nucleus during song learning"
    European Journal of Neuroscience 24(10), 2859-2869 (2006)
  9. George, I. A., Hara, E. and Hessler, N. A.:
    " Social behavior modulates songbird interpeduncular nucleus function"
    NeuroReport, 16(5), 445-449 (2005)
  10. Solis, M.M., Brainard, M.S., Hessler, N.A., and Doupe, A.J.:
    " Song selectivity and sensorimotor signals in vocal learning and production"
    Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA, 97(22), 11836-42 (2000)

Members

Principal Investigator

Neal A HESSLER
Laboratory Head

Members

Shin YANAGIHARA
Research Scientist
Thomas Munkholm POULSEN
Research Scientist
Adam Nathaniel PHILLIPS
Research Scientist
Mai IWASAKI
Junior Research Associate
Keiko ASAI
Technical Staff I
Chikako SATO
Assistant
Naoya AOKI
Visiting Scientist
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