Vocal changes in a zebra finch model of Parkinson’s disease characterized by alpha-synuclein overexpression in the song-dedicated anterior forebrain pathway

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265604
• Publication Date: 2022-05-04T17:26:02Z
• Authors: Cesar A. Medina; Eddie Vargas; Stephanie J. Munger; Julie E. Miller
• Keywords: Forebrain; Songbird; Alpha (finance)

Deterioration in the quality of a person’s voice and speech is an early marker Parkinson’s disease (PD). In humans, neural circuit that supports vocal motor control consists cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortico loop. The basal ganglia regions, striatum globus pallidus, this loop play role modulating acoustic features behavior such as loudness, pitch, articulatory rate. PD, area implicated pathogenesis. animal models accumulation toxic aggregates containing neuronal protein alpha-synuclein (αsyn) midbrain result limb impairments. It has been challenging to study impairments given lack well-defined circuitry for vocalization rodent models. Furthermore, whether deterioration PD direct αsyn-induced neuropathology not yet known. Here, we take advantage well-characterized circuits adult male zebra finch songbird experimentally target song-dedicated pathway, anterior forebrain using adeno-associated virus expressing human wild-type αsyn gene, SNCA . We found overexpression pathway coincides with higher levels insoluble, monomeric compared finches. Impairments song production were also detected along shorter poorer syllables, which are most basic unit song. These changes similar abnormalities observed individuals PD.