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Late‐postnatal cannabinoid exposure persistently increases FoxP2 expression within zebra finch striatum
Author(s) -
Soderstrom Ken,
Luo Bin
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
developmental neurobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.716
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1932-846X
pISSN - 1932-8451
DOI - 10.1002/dneu.20772
Subject(s) - zebra finch , striatum , cannabinoid receptor , cannabinoid , foxp2 , biology , basal ganglia , songbird , neuroscience , vocal learning , endocannabinoid system , transcription factor , receptor , central nervous system , antagonist , gene , genetics , dopamine , paleontology
Abstract Prior work has shown that cannabinoid exposure of zebra finches during sensorimotor stages of vocal development alters song patterns produced in adulthood. We are currently working to identify physiological substrates for this altered song learning. FoxP2 is a transcription factor associated with altered vocal development in both zebra finches and humans. This protein shows a distinct pattern of expression within Area X of striatum that coincides with peak expression of CB 1 cannabinoid receptors during sensorimotor learning. Coincident expression in a brain region essential for song learning led us to test for a potential signaling interaction. We have found that cannabinoid agonists acutely increase expression of FoxP2 throughout striatum. When administered during sensorimotor song learning, cannabinoids increase basal levels of striatal FoxP2 expression in adulthood. Thus, song‐altering cannabinoid treatments are associated with persistent increases in basal expression of FoxP2 in zebra finch striatum. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 2010