Stuttered birdsong

Birdsong is analogous to speech in terms of its role in communication, vocal motor control, auditory perception, and development. Songbirds such as zebra finches can therefore be used to model speech motor control disorders. In this chapter, we describe our efforts at developing a variant form of zebra finch song containing syllable repetitions that resemble part-word repetitions of developmental stuttering. We further discuss functional magnetic resonance imaging experiments that reveal changes in neural activations produced by song stimuli in syllable repeater birds. Finally, we present findings and review data to propose that synaptic plasticity and neuromodulatory mechanisms might play a role in the development of repetitive or oscillatory vocal output.