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Night-time neuronal activation of Cluster N in a day- and night-migrating songbird.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Zapka, M; Heyers, D; Liedvogel, M; Jarvis, ED; Mouritsen, H
Published in: Eur J Neurosci
August 2010

Magnetic compass orientation in a night-migratory songbird requires that Cluster N, a cluster of forebrain regions, is functional. Cluster N, which receives input from the eyes via the thalamofugal pathway, shows high neuronal activity in night-migrants performing magnetic compass-guided behaviour at night, whereas no activation is observed during the day, and covering up the birds' eyes strongly reduces neuronal activation. These findings suggest that Cluster N processes light-dependent magnetic compass information in night-migrating songbirds. The aim of this study was to test if Cluster N is active during daytime migration. We used behavioural molecular mapping based on ZENK activation to investigate if Cluster N is active in the meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis), a day- and night-migratory species. We found that Cluster N of meadow pipits shows high neuronal activity under dim-light at night, but not under full room-light conditions during the day. These data suggest that, in day- and night-migratory meadow pipits, the light-dependent magnetic compass, which requires an active Cluster N, may only be used during night-time, whereas another magnetosensory mechanism and/or other reference system(s), like the sun or polarized light, may be used as primary orientation cues during the day.

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Published In

Eur J Neurosci

DOI

EISSN

1460-9568

Publication Date

August 2010

Volume

32

Issue

4

Start / End Page

619 / 624

Location

France

Related Subject Headings

  • Songbirds
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Orientation
  • Neurons
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Magnetics
  • Light
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Early Growth Response Protein 1
  • Darkness
 

Citation

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Zapka, M., Heyers, D., Liedvogel, M., Jarvis, E. D., & Mouritsen, H. (2010). Night-time neuronal activation of Cluster N in a day- and night-migrating songbird. Eur J Neurosci, 32(4), 619–624. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-9568.2010.07311.x
Zapka, Manuela, Dominik Heyers, Miriam Liedvogel, Erich D. Jarvis, and Henrik Mouritsen. “Night-time neuronal activation of Cluster N in a day- and night-migrating songbird.Eur J Neurosci 32, no. 4 (August 2010): 619–24. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-9568.2010.07311.x.
Zapka M, Heyers D, Liedvogel M, Jarvis ED, Mouritsen H. Night-time neuronal activation of Cluster N in a day- and night-migrating songbird. Eur J Neurosci. 2010 Aug;32(4):619–24.
Zapka, Manuela, et al. “Night-time neuronal activation of Cluster N in a day- and night-migrating songbird.Eur J Neurosci, vol. 32, no. 4, Aug. 2010, pp. 619–24. Pubmed, doi:10.1111/j.1460-9568.2010.07311.x.
Zapka M, Heyers D, Liedvogel M, Jarvis ED, Mouritsen H. Night-time neuronal activation of Cluster N in a day- and night-migrating songbird. Eur J Neurosci. 2010 Aug;32(4):619–624.
Journal cover image

Published In

Eur J Neurosci

DOI

EISSN

1460-9568

Publication Date

August 2010

Volume

32

Issue

4

Start / End Page

619 / 624

Location

France

Related Subject Headings

  • Songbirds
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Orientation
  • Neurons
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Magnetics
  • Light
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Early Growth Response Protein 1
  • Darkness