Subject: Re: What animal model provides the closest match to human vocalization? From: Robert Zatorre <robert.zatorre@xxxxxxxx> Date: Wed, 2 Mar 2011 13:55:26 -0500 List-Archive:<http://lists.mcgill.ca/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=AUDITORY>Pete: You might want to speak to Xiaoqing Wang at Johns Hopkins; he has been doing some remarkable neurophysiological recordings from the brains of freely-behaving marmosets as they chat to each other. Very cool. Best wishes Robert -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ Robert J. Zatorre, Ph.D. Montreal Neurological Institute 3801 University St. Montreal, QC Canada H3A 2B4 phone: 1-514-398-8903 fax: 1-514-398-1338 e-mail: robert.zatorre@xxxxxxxx web site: www.zlab.mcgill.ca On 02/03/2011 09:03, Pete Howell wrote: > Thanks everyone for your replies. I was deliberately vague as I was > interested in getting a range of suggestions (btw the goat was really > funny). Mutations in mice and zebra finches have been used to model > speech disorders where auditory feedback processes are often thought > to be implicated. The primary interest is in how CNS connectivity is > affected. But people have looked at each of these species' > vocalizations after mutation and then drawn parallels with disordered > speech. My worry about the animal models is that the vocalization > behaviors that have been observed are very different from human > speech in both its natural and disordered forms. So, I wondered > whether there was an animal model we could start with that vocalized > and heard in closer ways to humans than the existing models. Then we > could have a good look at the parallels to speech disorders after > mutation in a systematic way (whether articulatory coordination is > affected, whether they show tonic and clonic features etc.). I'd > overlooked the point Stuart made - that I should look for species > that vocalize a lot, so ta for that. We only have limited facilities > and licenses for animal work, so I am still actively seeking > suggestions, so please continue suggestions. > Peter > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Psychology and Language Sciences > University College London > 26 Bedford Way > London WC1H 0AP > Direct line: 020 7 679 7566 > Fax 020 7436 4276 > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------