Experiential, acoustical and physiological influences on song preferences in female zebra finches.
Item
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Title
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Experiential, acoustical and physiological influences on song preferences in female zebra finches.
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Identifier
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AAI3284397
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identifier
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3284397
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Creator
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Vyas, Akshat.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Cheryl F. Harding
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Date
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2007
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Psychobiology | Biology, Neuroscience | Psychology, Physiological
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Abstract
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Female songbirds use male songs as an important criterion for mate-selection. Properties of male songs are thought to indicate the male's quality as a potential mate. Song preferences in female zebra finches are reported to be influenced by two factors---early auditory experience and the acoustic nature of males' songs. Additionally, many studies have investigated song preferences of female songbirds by first priming them with estrogen. However, estrogenic influences on song preferences have not been studied. In the first study, we investigated the relative influences of early auditory experiences, acoustic features of songs and estrogen on song responsiveness in female zebra finches. Juvenile female zebra finches were raised without exposure to male songs aside from brief tutoring with three acoustically different song types---simple songs, long-bout songs and complex songs. One group of females was untutored. Their song responsiveness were ascertained under no treatment, estradiol treatment and estrogen-depleted conditions. Our results lead to three conclusions about the relative importance of these three variables in determining song preferences. First, inexperienced female zebra finches appear inherently biased to respond more to complex songs over other song types. Second, song responsiveness in female zebra finches are significantly influenced by their early acoustic experience. Depending on the type of stimuli to which females are exposed, acoustic experience may either reinforce or weaken the inherent responsiveness for complex songs. Third, the strongest song responsiveness are seen in estrogen-treated females. Estrogenic influences on sexual behaviors are often mediated via norepinephrine (NE). In the second study, We used the noradrenergic neurotoxin, N- (2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine hydrochloride (DSP-4) to investigate if estrogenic influences on song responsiveness of female zebra finches are mediated by NE. We tested the responsiveness of adult female zebra finches for three acoustically different songs under three treatment conditions---untreated, estradiol-treated and estradiol + DSP-4-treated. Females only showed a differential responses when treated with estradiol alone, preferring complex songs. Following DSP-4 treatment, this differential responsiveness disappeared. Our results suggest that estrogenic influences on song responsiveness are mediated by NE.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
