Synaptic connectivity of sensorimotor circuits for vocal imitation in the songbird
Sensorimotor computations for learning and behavior rely on precise patterns of synaptic connectivity. Yet, we typically lack the synaptic wiring diagrams for long-range connections between sensory and motor circuits in the brain. Here, we provide the synaptic wiring diagram for sensorimotor circuit...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | eLife |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/104609 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849683496159674368 |
|---|---|
| author | Massimo Trusel Ziran Zhao Danyal H Alam Ethan S Marks Maaya Z Ikeda Todd F Roberts |
| author_facet | Massimo Trusel Ziran Zhao Danyal H Alam Ethan S Marks Maaya Z Ikeda Todd F Roberts |
| author_sort | Massimo Trusel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sensorimotor computations for learning and behavior rely on precise patterns of synaptic connectivity. Yet, we typically lack the synaptic wiring diagrams for long-range connections between sensory and motor circuits in the brain. Here, we provide the synaptic wiring diagram for sensorimotor circuits involved in learning and production of male zebra finch song, a natural and ethologically relevant behavior. We examined the functional synaptic connectivity from the 4 main sensory afferent pathways onto the three known classes of projection neurons of the song premotor cortical region HVC. Recordings from hundreds of identified projection neurons reveal rules for monosynaptic connectivity and the existence of polysynaptic ensembles of excitatory and inhibitory neuronal populations in HVC. Circuit tracing further identifies novel connections between HVC’s presynaptic partners. Our results indicate a modular organization of ensemble-like networks for integrating long-range input with local circuits, providing important context for information flow and computations for learned vocal behavior. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d913250f7f4a45c79eebb73dda2bc0ef |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2050-084X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | eLife |
| spelling | doaj-art-d913250f7f4a45c79eebb73dda2bc0ef2025-08-20T03:23:51ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2025-06-011410.7554/eLife.104609Synaptic connectivity of sensorimotor circuits for vocal imitation in the songbirdMassimo Trusel0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6208-2476Ziran Zhao1Danyal H Alam2Ethan S Marks3Maaya Z Ikeda4Todd F Roberts5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0967-6598Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United StatesDepartment of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United StatesDepartment of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United StatesDepartment of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United StatesDepartment of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United StatesDepartment of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United StatesSensorimotor computations for learning and behavior rely on precise patterns of synaptic connectivity. Yet, we typically lack the synaptic wiring diagrams for long-range connections between sensory and motor circuits in the brain. Here, we provide the synaptic wiring diagram for sensorimotor circuits involved in learning and production of male zebra finch song, a natural and ethologically relevant behavior. We examined the functional synaptic connectivity from the 4 main sensory afferent pathways onto the three known classes of projection neurons of the song premotor cortical region HVC. Recordings from hundreds of identified projection neurons reveal rules for monosynaptic connectivity and the existence of polysynaptic ensembles of excitatory and inhibitory neuronal populations in HVC. Circuit tracing further identifies novel connections between HVC’s presynaptic partners. Our results indicate a modular organization of ensemble-like networks for integrating long-range input with local circuits, providing important context for information flow and computations for learned vocal behavior.https://elifesciences.org/articles/104609zebra finchsongbirdHVCoptogeneticsynaptic mappingvocal circuits |
| spellingShingle | Massimo Trusel Ziran Zhao Danyal H Alam Ethan S Marks Maaya Z Ikeda Todd F Roberts Synaptic connectivity of sensorimotor circuits for vocal imitation in the songbird eLife zebra finch songbird HVC optogenetic synaptic mapping vocal circuits |
| title | Synaptic connectivity of sensorimotor circuits for vocal imitation in the songbird |
| title_full | Synaptic connectivity of sensorimotor circuits for vocal imitation in the songbird |
| title_fullStr | Synaptic connectivity of sensorimotor circuits for vocal imitation in the songbird |
| title_full_unstemmed | Synaptic connectivity of sensorimotor circuits for vocal imitation in the songbird |
| title_short | Synaptic connectivity of sensorimotor circuits for vocal imitation in the songbird |
| title_sort | synaptic connectivity of sensorimotor circuits for vocal imitation in the songbird |
| topic | zebra finch songbird HVC optogenetic synaptic mapping vocal circuits |
| url | https://elifesciences.org/articles/104609 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT massimotrusel synapticconnectivityofsensorimotorcircuitsforvocalimitationinthesongbird AT ziranzhao synapticconnectivityofsensorimotorcircuitsforvocalimitationinthesongbird AT danyalhalam synapticconnectivityofsensorimotorcircuitsforvocalimitationinthesongbird AT ethansmarks synapticconnectivityofsensorimotorcircuitsforvocalimitationinthesongbird AT maayazikeda synapticconnectivityofsensorimotorcircuitsforvocalimitationinthesongbird AT toddfroberts synapticconnectivityofsensorimotorcircuitsforvocalimitationinthesongbird |