Uncovering a 'sensitive window' of multisensory and motor neuroplasticity in the cerebrum and cerebellum of male and female starlings

Traditionally, research unraveling seasonal neuroplasticity in songbirds has focused on the male song control system and testosterone. We longitudinally monitored the song behavior and neuroplasticity in male and female starlings during multiple photoperiods using Diffusion Tensor and Fixel-Based te...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:eLife 2021-06, Vol.10
Main Authors: Orije, Jasmien, Cardon, Emilie, Hamaide, Julie, Jonckers, Elisabeth, Darras, Veerle M, Verhoye, Marleen, Van der Linden, Annemie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Auditory Perception
Auditory plasticity
birdsong
Brain research
Cerebellum
Cerebellum - diagnostic imaging
Cerebellum - metabolism
Cerebellum - physiology
Cerebral hemispheres
Cerebrum
Cerebrum - diagnostic imaging
Cerebrum - metabolism
Cerebrum - physiology
Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Estradiol - blood
European starling
Female
Hippocampal plasticity
Magnetic resonance imaging
Male
Motor Activity
Motor systems
Neural networks
Neuronal Plasticity
Neuroplasticity
Neuroscience
Pallium
Photoperiod
Photoperiods
Seasons
Sensory integration
Sex Characteristics
sexual dimorphism
Song
Starlings - blood
Starlings - physiology
Testosterone
Testosterone - blood
Visual Perception
Visual system
Vocalization, Animal
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Traditionally, research unraveling seasonal neuroplasticity in songbirds has focused on the male song control system and testosterone. We longitudinally monitored the song behavior and neuroplasticity in male and female starlings during multiple photoperiods using Diffusion Tensor and Fixel-Based techniques. These exploratory data-driven whole-brain methods resulted in a population-based tractogram confirming microstructural sexual dimorphisms in the song control system. Furthermore, male brains showed hemispheric asymmetries in the pallium, whereas females had higher interhemispheric connectivity, which could not be attributed to brain size differences. Only females with large brains sing but differ from males in their song behavior by showing involvement of the hippocampus. Both sexes experienced multisensory neuroplasticity in the song control, auditory and visual system, and cerebellum, mainly during the photosensitive period. This period with low gonadal hormone levels might represent a 'sensitive window' during which different sensory and motor systems in the cerebrum and cerebellum can be seasonally re-shaped in both sexes.
ISSN:2050-084X
2050-084X
DOI:10.7554/eLife.66777