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Dopamine receptors in a songbird brain.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Kubikova, L; Wada, K; Jarvis, ED
Published in: J Comp Neurol
March 15, 2010

Dopamine is a key neuromodulatory transmitter in the brain. It acts through dopamine receptors to affect changes in neural activity, gene expression, and behavior. In songbirds, dopamine is released into the striatal song nucleus Area X, and the levels depend on social contexts of undirected and directed singing. This differential release is associated with differential expression of activity-dependent genes, such as egr1 (avian zenk), which in mammalian brain are modulated by dopamine receptors. Here we cloned from zebra finch brain cDNAs of all avian dopamine receptors: the D1 (D1A, D1B, D1D) and D2 (D2, D3, D4) families. Comparative sequence analyses of predicted proteins revealed expected phylogenetic relationships, in which the D1 family exists as single exon and the D2 family exists as spliced exon genes. In both zebra finch and chicken, the D1A, D1B, and D2 receptors were highly expressed in the striatum, the D1D and D3 throughout the pallium and within the mesopallium, respectively, and the D4 mainly in the cerebellum. Furthermore, within the zebra finch, all receptors, except for D4, showed differential expression in song nuclei relative to the surrounding regions and developmentally regulated expression that decreased for most receptors during the sensory acquisition and sensorimotor phases of song learning. Within Area X, half of the cells expressed both D1A and D2 receptors, and a higher proportion of the D1A-only-containing neurons expressed egr1 during undirected but not during directed singing. Our findings are consistent with hypotheses that dopamine receptors may be involved in song development and social context-dependent behaviors.

Duke Scholars

Published In

J Comp Neurol

DOI

EISSN

1096-9861

Publication Date

March 15, 2010

Volume

518

Issue

6

Start / End Page

741 / 769

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Vocalization, Animal
  • Species Specificity
  • Social Behavior
  • Sequence Homology
  • Receptors, Dopamine D5
  • Receptors, Dopamine D4
  • Receptors, Dopamine D3
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2
  • Receptors, Dopamine D1
  • Neurons
 

Citation

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MLA
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Kubikova, L., Wada, K., & Jarvis, E. D. (2010). Dopamine receptors in a songbird brain. J Comp Neurol, 518(6), 741–769. https://doi.org/10.1002/cne.22255
Kubikova, Lubica, Kazuhiro Wada, and Erich D. Jarvis. “Dopamine receptors in a songbird brain.J Comp Neurol 518, no. 6 (March 15, 2010): 741–69. https://doi.org/10.1002/cne.22255.
Kubikova L, Wada K, Jarvis ED. Dopamine receptors in a songbird brain. J Comp Neurol. 2010 Mar 15;518(6):741–69.
Kubikova, Lubica, et al. “Dopamine receptors in a songbird brain.J Comp Neurol, vol. 518, no. 6, Mar. 2010, pp. 741–69. Pubmed, doi:10.1002/cne.22255.
Kubikova L, Wada K, Jarvis ED. Dopamine receptors in a songbird brain. J Comp Neurol. 2010 Mar 15;518(6):741–769.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Comp Neurol

DOI

EISSN

1096-9861

Publication Date

March 15, 2010

Volume

518

Issue

6

Start / End Page

741 / 769

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Vocalization, Animal
  • Species Specificity
  • Social Behavior
  • Sequence Homology
  • Receptors, Dopamine D5
  • Receptors, Dopamine D4
  • Receptors, Dopamine D3
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2
  • Receptors, Dopamine D1
  • Neurons