Patterns of phosphorylated tyrosine hydroxylase vary with song production in female starlings

Abstract Vocal signal production in male songbirds is well studied, but the neural correlates of female song production are poorly understood. In European starlings, females sing to defend nesting resources, and song can be considered agonistically motivated. Across vertebrates catecholamines strong...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brain research 2013-03, Vol.1498 (Mar 01), p.41-49
Main Authors: Ellis, Jesse M.S, Riters, Lauren V
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
agonistic behavior
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
brain
Brain - enzymology
catecholamines
Communication
correlation
Dopamine
Ear and associated structures. Auditory pathways and centers. Hearing. Vocal organ. Phonation. Sound production. Echolocation
Female
Female song
females
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Immunohistochemistry
Motivation
nesting
Neurology
Norepinephrine
Phosphorylation
Photomicrography
Social behavior
songbirds
Starlings
Sturnidae
Sturnus vulgaris
territoriality
tyrosine
Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase - metabolism
Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
Vocalization, Animal - physiology
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Summary:Abstract Vocal signal production in male songbirds is well studied, but the neural correlates of female song production are poorly understood. In European starlings, females sing to defend nesting resources, and song can be considered agonistically motivated. Across vertebrates catecholamines strongly influence motivated, agonistic social behaviors. The present study was designed to provide insight into a possible role for catecholamine activity in territorial song in female starlings. We presented females that were defending nest-cavities with an unfamiliar female and assessed song production. We then measured immunolabeling for phosphorylated tyrosine hydroxylase (pTH-ir), the rate-limiting enzyme for catecholamine synthesis, in brain regions in which catecholamines stimulate agonistic behavior. Females that sang had higher pTH-ir in the caudomedial ventral tegmental area and the lateral septum than females that did not sing. Furthermore, the number of songs produced correlated positively with pTH-ir in the medial preoptic nucleus. Phosphorylation of TH is thought to occur after catecholamine release, so these results link increased catecholamine activity in several brain regions governing agonistic behavior to territorial song production in females.
ISSN:0006-8993
1872-6240
DOI:10.1016/j.brainres.2012.12.020