Steroid hormones regulate multiple but distinct aspects of social behaviors. Testosterone (T) has multiple effects on learned courtship song in that it regulates both the motivation to sing in a particular social context as well as the quality of song produced. The neural substrate(s) where T acts to regulate the motivation to sing as opposed to other aspects of song has not been definitively c...

The high vocal center (HVC) controls song production in songbirds and sends a projection to the robust nucleus of the archistriatum (RA) of the descending vocal pathway. HVC receives new neurons in adulthood. Most of the new neurons project to RA and replace other neurons of the same kind. We show here that singing enhances mRNA and protein expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)...

Song production in songbirds is controlled by a network of nuclei distributed across several brain regions, which drives respiratory and vocal motor systems to generate sound. We built a model for birdsong production, whose variables are the average activities of different neural populations within these nuclei of the song system. We focus on the predictions of respiratory patterns of song, bec...

Title of Document: PERCEPTUAL CONSEQUENCES OF EARLY-ONSET HEREDITARY HEARING LOSS IN THE BELGIAN WATERSLAGER CANARY (SERINUS CANARIUS) Amanda M. Lauer, Doctor of Philosophy, 2006 Directed By: Professor Robert J. Dooling, Department of Psychology Belgian Waterslager canaries (BWS) are bred for a distinctive low-pitched song that includes sounds that are thought to resemble water. This strain of ...

BACKGROUND Avian bornaviruses are a genetically diverse group of viruses initially discovered in 2008. They are known to infect several avian orders. Bornaviruses of parrots and related species (Psittaciformes) are causative agents of proventricular dilatation disease, a chronic and often fatal neurologic disease widely distributed in captive psittacine populations. Although knowledge has consi...

The Volcanic Island Clastic Apron Project (VICAP) entails a case history study of a coupled system, "oceanic island volcaniclastic apron". The source area has a long-term record of chemically distinct rocks/deposits with physically datable mineral phases, so that the submarine and subaerial growth and destruction is reflected in sufficient detail in the volcaniclastic apron. The seamount/island...

Mortality in excess of 65% occurred in a flock of 450 canaries (Serinus canaria). Clinical signs in the canaries included severe respiratory distress, loss of feathers and/or scaly skin on the head, neck and back, anorexia, loss of weight and fluffed-up appearance of several days duration before death. Gross pathology in most of the canaries included thickened eye lids and small scab-like nodul...