Motor Theory of Auditory Perception.

Abstract

The behavioral and neural substrate for motor processing of vocalizations exists in an animal model (the zebra finch). What had been considered a simple vocalization, learned from one model and carrying one message, proves to consist of compound sound units (syllables) arranged in a complex structure. The syllables in each vocalization are learned from several different sources or improvised, and are assembled to form a new vocalization. The vocal motor neurons have an auditory function (the muscles of the vocal organ contract slightly when the animal is presented with an auditory stimulus), the vocal motor neurons are spatially ordered according to their target muscle (and hence their vocal function), and vocal motor neurons in different pools have different auditory responses. Behavioral experiments to test whether the vocal motor system is involved in perception have been initiated. A new method for visual analysis of sounds is being tested. Keywords: Auditory processing, Syrinx, Song, Auditory perception, Hearing.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 24, 1987
Accession Number
ADA192095

Entities

People

  • Heather E. Williams

Organizations

  • The Rockefeller University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Animals
  • Auditory Perception
  • Birds
  • Brain
  • Classification
  • Contracts
  • Frequency
  • Learning
  • Medical Personnel
  • Motor Neurons
  • Notation
  • Observation
  • Perception
  • Sonograms
  • Symbols
  • Universities

Fields of Study

  • Biology
  • Psychology

Readers

  • Neuroscience
  • Speech Processing/Speech Recognition.