The Role of the Basal Ganglia in the Development and Organization of Vocal Behavior in Songbirds

The basal ganglia play an important role in the development of motor behavior; however, the mechanisms and specificity of their role in the processes of learning and movement organization are not clear, and the hypothesis about the computations of dopaminergic modulation of the basal ganglia is very controversial. The behavioral model of song learning in songbirds is invaluable in clarifying many of the key questions about these issues. The data reviewed in this paper suggest that an active variability generator is built into the structure of the basal ganglia to provide an adaptive level of behavioral stability.

Automated summary

The basal ganglia play a crucial role in motor behavior development, but the mechanisms and dopaminergic modulation computations of the basal ganglia remain controversial. The song learning behavioral model in songbirds provides valuable insights into these issues, indicating the presence of an active variability generator within the basal ganglia structure for adaptive behavioral stability.