Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2026
Targeted Training of Ultrasonic Vocalizations in Aged and Parkinsonian Rats
Published on: August 8, 2011
Rhythmic midbrain-evoked vocalization is inhibited by vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in the teleost Porichthys
1Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. ahb3@cornell.edu
Abstract:
Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) is distributed in vocal midbrain areas of multiple vertebrate taxa, suggesting that VIP may modulate midbrain-evoked vocalization. To test this hypothesis, neurophysiological experiments were conducted in the teleost Porichthys notatus which generates vocalizations in mating and agonistic contexts. Electrical stimulation of the paralemniscal midbrain and local delivery of VIP were conducted in conjunction with occipital nerve recordings that reflect the patterned output of hindbrain vocal circuitry. Consistent with our hypothesis, VIP significantly reduced the duration and number of rhythmic vocal-motor bursts obtained in a dose-dependent manner; vocalization latency was concomitantly increased. These results provide the first evidence for VIP modulation of midbrain vocal function.
