#neuroscience

In the finch brain, song is controlled by the high vocal center (HVC). A microdrive that measures the activity of neurons in the birds revealed that each group of these neurons is active for about 10 milliseconds during the song. Each group is likely connected to the next, like links in a chain, for sequential intervals. Each link signals downstream motor neurons (rA, robust nucleus of the arcopallium) that ultimately drive the vocal and respiratory muscles to produce the song. Read the full article, here: The Melody of Finches.