Organization and electrophysiological properties of an avian basal ganglia structure essential for song learning / Michael Farries.

Format:

Book

Manuscript

Microformat

Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

Farries, Michael.

Contributor:

Perkel, David, advisor.

University of Pennsylvania.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Penn dissertations--Neuroscience.

Neuroscience--Penn dissertations.

Local Subjects:

Penn dissertations--Neuroscience.

Neuroscience--Penn dissertations.

Physical Description:

ix, 144 pages : illustrations ; 29 cm

Production:

2002.

Summary:

The song system of oscine birds has become an important model system for motor learning in vertebrates. One part of the song system consists of an "anterior forebrain pathway" (AFP) that is required for song learning, but not production. The first and largest component of the AFP is area X, a specialized region of the songbird basal ganglia. My goal has been to learn enough about area X to support an elementary understanding of how area X transmits information. To understand how area X works, we must at a minimum know something of its anatomical organization and electrophysiological properties. I have gathered such data by examining the intrinsic and synaptic physiological properties of neurons in area X using whole-cell recording in a brain slice preparation. My studies have been guided by the hypothesis that area X shares many of the electrophysiological and anatomical properties of the mammalian basal ganglia. I found that area X contains all of the electrophysiological cell types identified in the mammalian striatum, plus one cell type resembling neurons recorded from the mammalian pallidum. I hypothesize that these pallidum-like cells are the projection neurons of area X, and that area X contains a pathway functionally identical to the striatopallidothalamic pathway of mammals.

Notes:

Supervisor: David J. Perkel.

Thesis (Ph.D. in Neuroscience) -- University of Pennsylvania, 2002.

Includes bibliographical references.

Local Notes:

University Microfilms order no.: 3054938.

OCLC:

244971588