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

Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location01:21

Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location

539
The human brain perceives pitch through two primary mechanisms reflected in place theory and frequency theory. Each mechanism describes how sound waves are interpreted as specific pitches by the brain, offering insights into the intricate processes of auditory perception.
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by...
539
Auditory Perception01:17

Auditory Perception

662
The auditory system is essential for sound perception, utilizing various critical structures. When sound waves enter the outer ear, they travel through the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted to the middle ear, where three tiny bones – the malleus, incus, and stapes – amplify the sound. This amplification is crucial, as it ensures that the sound vibrations are strong enough to be conveyed to the inner ear. These vibrations then reach the...
662
Hearing01:31

Hearing

54.0K
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.
54.0K
The Cochlea01:13

The Cochlea

47.3K
The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.
47.3K
Perception of Sound Waves01:01

Perception of Sound Waves

4.8K
The human ear is not equally sensitive to all frequencies in the audible range. It may perceive sound waves with the same pressure but different frequencies as having different loudness. Moreover, the perception of sound waves depends on the health of an individual's ears, which decays with age. The health of one's ears may also be affected by regular exposure to loud noises.
The pitch of a sound depends on the frequency and the pressure amplitude of the source. Two sounds of the same...
4.8K
Neural Regulation01:37

Neural Regulation

40.5K
Digestion begins with a cephalic phase that prepares the digestive system to receive food. When our brain processes visual or olfactory information about food, it triggers impulses in the cranial nerves innervating the salivary glands and stomach to prepare for food.
40.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

A synaptic locus of song learning.

Nature·2026
Same author

Selective encoding of priors for flexible categorization but not Bayesian inference in the frontal eye field.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Dynamic Compression Flows for Neuroscience Data.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

A synaptic locus of song learning.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Normal pressure hydrocephalus plus atypical presentation with symptomatic resolution following the restoration of CSF flow: illustrative case.

Journal of neurosurgery. Case lessons·2026
Same author

Motor Cortical Output Integrates Distorted Proprioceptive Feedback.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same journal

Daily briefing: 'Cyborg' cockroaches breathe underwater with printed suit.

Nature·2026
Same journal

China boosts prestigious grants for young scientists - will it ease competition?

Nature·2026
Same journal

Incoming US science academy chief vows to 'double down' on research.

Nature·2026
Same journal

Author Correction: Synthesis of enantioenriched atropisomers by biocatalytic deracemization.

Nature·2026
Same journal

Electrodeposited self-assembled molecules for perovskite photovoltaics.

Nature·2026
Same journal

Neutrino's nursery found: the 'Shadow Blaster'.

Nature·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 16, 2025

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

14.5K

Neural dynamics underlying birdsong practice and performance.

Jonnathan Singh Alvarado1, Jack Goffinet2, Valerie Michael1

  • 1Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.

Nature
|October 21, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Zebra finches

More Related Videos

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

18.4K
Operant Conditioning Task to Measure Song Preference in Zebra Finches
06:40

Operant Conditioning Task to Measure Song Preference in Zebra Finches

Published on: December 26, 2019

6.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 16, 2025

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

14.5K
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

18.4K
Operant Conditioning Task to Measure Song Preference in Zebra Finches
06:40

Operant Conditioning Task to Measure Song Preference in Zebra Finches

Published on: December 26, 2019

6.6K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Animal Behavior
  • Bioacoustics

Background:

  • Complex motor skills like music and athletics require practice for reliable performance.
  • Male zebra finches exhibit song variability during practice and stereotypy during performance.
  • Understanding neural mechanisms of motor variability is crucial for complex behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate how neural activity in spiny neurons (SNs) of the basal ganglia encodes and regulates motor variability during song practice versus performance.
  • Identify the role of SNs in vocal exploration and stereotypy.
  • Determine the influence of noradrenergic signaling on vocal variability.

Main Methods:

  • Calcium imaging to record activity in ensembles of spiny neurons (SNs) during song practice and performance.
  • Optogenetic manipulation of SN activity during practice.
  • Unsupervised learning methods to analyze SN activity patterns and song variants.
  • Investigation of noradrenergic signaling effects on SN activity and vocalizations.

Main Results:

  • SN calcium signals are highly variable during song practice compared to cortical inputs.
  • SN calcium signals are suppressed during female-directed song performance.
  • Optogenetic suppression of SNs during practice significantly reduces vocal variability.
  • Specific SN activity patterns correlate with distinct song practice variants.
  • Noradrenergic signaling directly suppresses SN activity, reducing vocal variability.

Conclusions:

  • SN ensembles in the basal ganglia encode and drive vocal exploration during practice.
  • Noradrenergic suppression of SN activity promotes stereotyped and precise song performance.
  • This study reveals a neural mechanism for regulating motor variability in learned vocalizations.