Neural Mechanisms of Natural Behavior

Conventionally, scientific experiments, which involve monitoring of neuronal signals, are exclusively performed on laboratory animals under controlled laboratory conditions. The neural basis of vocal communication, for instance, has extensively been studied in isolated animals representing either the sender or the receiver of the communication signal. During an active communication process, however, the roles of sender and receiver often alternate between individuals, resulting in a feedback loop that affects the behavior and brain activity of both interaction partners.

To capture the true capacity of neural circuits, we study brain function in animals that behave freely in their natural, social environment. Recently, we pioneered the application of extracellular neurophysiology during field research. The focus of our current work lies on the neural mechanisms of vocal communication behavior, and we use songbirds as model systems. We investigate, for instance, how the vocal control system in the brain of songbirds enables these animals to produce vocal sounds in rapid alternation with a partner during duet singing. Another project aims at describing how natural alarm calling behavior is controlled and processed by the avian brain. Uncovering the brain’s role in antipredator behavior, such as alarm calling, is fundamentally important for understanding how neural systems facilitate decision-making in life-threatening situations.

For our research, we employ a diverse set of scientific techniques, including in-vivo neurophysiology, bioacoustics, behavioral observation, histology and microscopy.