Dopamine regulation of human speech and bird song: A critical review

• Published in: Brain and language Vol. 122; no. 3; pp. 142 - 150
• Main Authors: Simonyan, Kristina, Horwitz, Barry, Jarvis, Erich D.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.09.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: aDLM; AFP; Animals; anterior dorsolateral medial nucleus of the thalamus; anterior forebrain pathway; Basal ganglia; Behavioral psychophysiology; Biochemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Brain; Brain Mapping; Brain networks; Comparative Analysis; DIP; Dopamine - physiology; dorsointermedius posterior nucleus of the thalamus; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GABA; gamma-aminobutyric acid; globus pallidus, external segment; globus pallidus, internal segment; GPe; GPi; Humans; HVC; laryngeal motor cortex; lateral part of magnocellular nucleus of the anterior nidopallium; Learning - physiology; Learning Theories; LMAN; LMC; magnocellular nucleus of the anterior nidopallium; MAN; Neurological Organization; Neurotransmission; Neurotransmission and behavior; nucleus of the nidopallium – letter-based name; Patients; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Role; Singing; Singing - physiology; Songbirds - physiology; Speech; Speech - physiology; Speech and song control; GPi; Basal ganglia; LMC; Brain networks; aDLM; DIP; AFP; LMAN; HVC; GABA; MAN; GPe; Speech and song control; Neurotransmission; Human; Dopamine; Central nervous system; Cognition; Basal ganglion; Review; Catecholamine; Encephalon; Vertebrata; Song; Language; Neurotransmitter; Critical study; Speech; Aves
• ISSN: 0093-934X; 1090-2155
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2011.12.009

► Human speech and bird song share the ability to learn new utterances. ► Neural pathways underlying speech and song have similar basal ganglia organization. ► Dopamine modulates sensorimotor, cognitive and emotional aspects of speech production. ► Dopamine regulates bird song variability. To understand the neural basis of human speech control, extensive research has been done using a variety of methodologies in a range of experimental models. Nevertheless, several critical questions about learned vocal motor control still remain open. One of them is the mechanism(s) by which neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, modulate speech and song production. In this review, we bring together the two fields of investigations of dopamine action on voice control in humans and songbirds, who share similar behavioral and neural mechanisms for speech and song production. While human studies investigating the role of dopamine in speech control are limited to reports in neurological patients, research on dopaminergic modulation of bird song control has recently expanded our views on how this system might be organized. We discuss the parallels between bird song and human speech from the perspective of dopaminergic control as well as outline important differences between these species.