Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language01:10

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

4.1K
Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
4.1K
Parallel Processing01:20

Parallel Processing

890
The brain processes sensory information rapidly due to parallel processing, which involves sending data across multiple neural pathways at the same time. This method allows the brain to manage various sensory qualities, such as shapes, colors, movements, and locations, all concurrently. For instance, when observing a forest landscape, the brain simultaneously processes the movement of leaves, the shapes of trees, the depth between them, and the various shades of green. This enables a quick and...
890
Auditory Pathway01:15

Auditory Pathway

8.9K
Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking...
8.9K
Lateralization01:28

Lateralization

1.3K
Brain lateralization refers to the division of mental processes and functions between the two hemispheres of the brain, a phenomenon that optimizes neural efficiency and underpins complex abilities in humans. This specialization allows each hemisphere to perform tasks where it has a comparative advantage, facilitating more refined cognitive capabilities across different domains.
1.3K
Hearing01:31

Hearing

58.9K
When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.
58.9K
Lobes of the Cerebrum01:22

Lobes of the Cerebrum

6.2K
The cerebral cortex, a critical structure of the brain, is intricately divided into two hemispheres, each consisting of four distinct lobes: occipital, temporal, frontal, and parietal. These lobes function cooperatively to regulate various cognitive and sensory functions, forming the basis of our complex neural capabilities.
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobes, located behind the forehead, are the command center of our brain, controlling personality, intelligence, and voluntary muscle movements....
6.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Tissue Regeneration Consortium (DOCTRC): An infrastructure for accelerating regenerative therapies from discovery to clinical impact.

Journal of clinical and translational science·2026
Same author

FaceBase 3: analytical tools and FAIR resources for craniofacial and dental research.

Development (Cambridge, England)·2020
Same author

Correction: Self-domestication in Homo sapiens: Insights from comparative genomics.

PloS one·2018
Same author

Self-domestication in Homo sapiens: Insights from comparative genomics.

PloS one·2017
Same journal

From silenced shock to strategic resilience: a longitudinal qualitative study of nurse residents' trajectory in coping with patient verbal abuse.

Frontiers in psychology·2026
Same journal

Validation of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) for forest firefighters: implications for human-technology interaction and occupational safety in the future of work.

Frontiers in psychology·2026
Same journal

Development and validation of the football emotion scale for Chinese youth players: a psychometric study.

Frontiers in psychology·2026
Same journal

From online engagement to offline action: how social media environmental engagement shapes university students' pro-environmental citizenship through intrinsic motivation and personal norms.

Frontiers in psychology·2026
Same journal

The multidimensional inventory of religious/spiritual wellbeing in Hungarian language: psychometric properties and initial validation.

Frontiers in psychology·2026
Same journal

Effects of occupational factors on depression in Chinese veterans: a fsQCA study based on 2022 CFPS data.

Frontiers in psychology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 5, 2026

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging fMRI with Auditory Stimulation in Songbirds
13:05

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging fMRI with Auditory Stimulation in Songbirds

Published on: June 3, 2013

18.9K

Can a bird brain do phonology?

Bridget D Samuels1

  • 1Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science, Pomona College Claremont, CA, USA ; Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Frontiers in Psychology
|August 19, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Recent studies show songbirds share neural and behavioral traits with humans, suggesting they are excellent models for studying human phonology, despite key differences in song and language structure.

Keywords:
biolinguisticsbirdsongcognitive biologycomparative neuroscienceevolution of languagelanguage-ready brainphonology

More Related Videos

Evaluation of Auditory Brainstem Response in Chicken Hatchlings
09:32

Evaluation of Auditory Brainstem Response in Chicken Hatchlings

Published on: April 1, 2022

3.6K
A Lightweight, Headphones-based System for Manipulating Auditory Feedback in Songbirds
10:13

A Lightweight, Headphones-based System for Manipulating Auditory Feedback in Songbirds

Published on: November 26, 2012

14.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 5, 2026

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging fMRI with Auditory Stimulation in Songbirds
13:05

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging fMRI with Auditory Stimulation in Songbirds

Published on: June 3, 2013

18.9K
Evaluation of Auditory Brainstem Response in Chicken Hatchlings
09:32

Evaluation of Auditory Brainstem Response in Chicken Hatchlings

Published on: April 1, 2022

3.6K
A Lightweight, Headphones-based System for Manipulating Auditory Feedback in Songbirds
10:13

A Lightweight, Headphones-based System for Manipulating Auditory Feedback in Songbirds

Published on: November 26, 2012

14.9K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Linguistics
  • Bioacoustics

Background:

  • Recent research highlights similarities in neural structures, pathways, and gene expression between human language and songbird vocalizations.
  • Vocal learning, song structure, and element distribution in birds show parallels with human speech.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advancements in understanding the connections between songbird vocalizations and human language.
  • To assess the suitability of vocal-learning birds as models for human phonological computation.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing behavioral, neuroanatomical, and molecular genetic studies.
  • Comparative analysis of phonological phenomena in human language and birdsong.

Main Results:

  • Songbirds exhibit numerous abilities essential for human phonological computation.
  • Shared characteristics are observed in vocal learning, song structure, and the distribution of song elements.

Conclusions:

  • Vocal-learning birds serve as valuable models for investigating aspects of human phonology.
  • Differences in fundamental units of song/language and the lack of human-like morphosyntax distinguish birdsong from human language phonology.