April 9, 2014

What songbirds tell us about how we learn




McGill researcher pinpoints an important role of the basal ganglia in vocal learning across species

When you throw a wild pitch or sing a flat note, it could be that your basal ganglia made you do it. This area in the middle of the brain is involved in motor control and learning.  And one reason for that errant toss or off-key note may be that your brain prompted you to vary your behavior to help you learn, from trial-and-error, to perform better.