How the brain times vocal sounds with breathing
Determination of the motor patterning system for murine vocalizations with breathing
This work explores how brain circuits in mice coordinate breathing and vocal sounds to shed light on the rhythms of crying and early speech.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11310136 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers map and record brainstem circuits in newborn mice while they produce innate cries that resemble human infant sounds. They combine anatomical mapping, targeted neural manipulations (for example, ablations or stimulation), and recordings of muscle and breathing activity to see which neurons set the timing of syllable-like vocal elements. The team tests whether a dedicated vocalization central pattern generator (CPG) is linked to breathing circuits and whether it intrinsically creates rhythmic syllable timing. Findings in mice are used to draw parallels with how human infant cries and early vocal rhythms are produced.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This project does not recruit people now, but its results could later be relevant to infants or individuals with speech-rhythm disorders, including some people with autism.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate treatments or whose conditions do not involve vocal timing or breathing-linked speech problems are unlikely to benefit directly from this animal-based research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal brain circuit mechanisms underlying speech rhythm and inform new approaches to diagnosing or treating speech-timing problems in developmental conditions.
How similar studies have performed: Related work in songbirds and respiratory circuit research supports the idea of rhythm-generating circuits, but demonstrating a dedicated mammalian vocalization CPG is largely novel.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yackle, Kevin — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Yackle, Kevin
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.