Learning strategies and the social brain: missing elements in the link between developmental stress, song, and cognition?

Kriengwatana, B. P. (2019) Learning strategies and the social brain: missing elements in the link between developmental stress, song, and cognition? Integrative Zoology, 14(2), pp. 158-171. (doi: 10.1111/1749-4877.12379) (PMID:30688022)

Abstract

Bird songs may advertise aspects of cognition because song learning and learning speed in cognitive tasks are both affected by early‐life environments. However, such relationships remain ambiguous in the literature. Here, I discuss 2 lines of research that may help to demystify links between song learning and cognition. First, learning strategies should be considered when assessing performance to ensure that individual differences in learning ability are not masked by individual differences in learning strategies. Second, song characteristics should be associated with social behavior because songs have a social purpose and, consequently, should be strongly related at functional and neural levels. Finally, if song learning and cognitive abilities are correlated because they develop concurrently and/or share or compete for the same resources, I discuss ways glucocorticoids may link early‐life stress, song learning and cognitive ability, focusing particularly on oxidative stress as a potential mechanism.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This research was supported by a BBSRC Research Grant (ref BB/L002264/1).
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Kriengwatana, Dr Pralle
• Authors: Kriengwatana, B. P.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
• Journal Name: Integrative Zoology
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 1749-4869
• ISSN (Online): 1749-4877
• Published Online: 28 January 2019
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2019 International Society of Zoological Sciences, Institute of Zoology/Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
• First Published: First published in Integrative Zoology 14(2):158-171
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher