Lauren V. Riters

lvriters@wisc.edu      CV

Research Interests

The focus of research in my laboratory is on the neural regulation of vocal communication in songbirds. We are interested in

1. how the brain ensures that communication takes place within an appropriate context in response to appropriate social stimuli,
2. how the brain regulates motivation or reward associated with communication, and
3. how the brain regulates selective behavioral responses to communication signals.

Songbirds and other vertebrates often vocalize at high rates, suggesting that they are highly motivated to do so and that vocal behavior may be rewarding. To communicate successfully an individual must adjust vocal communication to match a specific social context. For example, if a male songbird is singing to attract a female, he must sing the type of song appropriate within the context of courtship. We have found that distinct neural mechanisms are active during song used to attract mates versus song used in other contexts. Currently we are examining how brain regions involved in song production interact with brain regions implicated in motivation and reward to regulate socially-appropriate song. I am particularly interested in the role of the neurotransmitter dopamine and opioid neuropeptides in context appropriate song. To date we have evidence that dopamine may play a critical role in the motivation to sing and that opioids may be important for reward associated with song production.

Ultimately communication is successful only to the extent that it induces an appropriate response from a suitable target. Another major line of research in my laboratory is on how the brain of the receiver of a social signal regulates selective responses to vocal signals. Currently, we are examining involvement of the catecholamines, norepinephrine and dopamine in the regulation of selective female responses to male songs.

My research integrates semi-natural behavioral observations of aviary housed birds with neuroscience laboratory techniques. Analytical tools include immunocytochemistry, site-directed and systemic pharmacological manipulations, lesioning techniques, neuroanatomical tract tracing, and hormone assays. Current species in the laboratory include European starlings, zebra finches, and house sparrows.

Teaching

Courses:

Zoology 101 - Animal Biology
Zoology 603 - Endocrinology
Zoology 962/Neurosci 675 - Graduate Seminar in Ethology:  Behavior, Brain, and Evolution

Note to prospective graduate students:

I welcome motivated graduate students with diverse interests in animal behavior or behavioral neuroscience related to animal communication and other social behaviors.

Graduate students currently supervised:

• Stephen R. Bowman
• Sarah Jane Alger (sjalger@wisc.edu)
  Sarah Jane has been addressing questions about how the brain ensures that communication occurs in socially appropriate contexts in male songbirds, and how the brain regulates female preferences for attractive compared to unattractive males, using European starlings and zebra finches.  Currently Sarah Jane is addressing such questions through behavioral observations, lesion techniques, and audio recording and playback experiments.
• Sarah Ann Heimovics (saheimovics@wisc.edu)
  Sarah has been using immediate early gene protein products to identify and compare brain regions active when males are singing sexually motivated song versus song expressed outside of a breeding context.  Sarah has also begun a project to analyze differences in markers of dopamine associated with song produced within different social contexts using autoradiography to examine dopamine receptor proteins, Western immunoblotting for specific dopaminergic markers, and double labeling immunocytochemistry in brain areas involved in social behavior.
• Benjamin A. Pawlisch  (bpawlisch@wisc.edu)
  Ben has been using site specific injections (into the medial preoptic nucleus) of dopamine receptor agonists to examine the role of dopamine receptors in sexually motivated male birdsong. He has also begun exploring the role of cannabinoids in regulating song using immunocytochemistry to identify possible differences in cannabinoid receptors in birds singing at different rates.

Students supervised who recently earned graduate degrees:

• Molly B. Schroeder, MS – Fall 2004
  Roles of dopamine and opiods in regulating sexually motivated song in European starlings.  Abstract

Selected Publications

Heimovics, S. A. and Riters, L. V. (2007).  ZENK labeling within social brain regions reveals breeding context-dependent patterns of neural activity associated with song in male European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris).  Behavioural Brain Research,176 (2), 333-343.

Alger, S. J. and Riters, L. V. (2006).  Lesions to the medial preoptic nucleus differentially affect singing and nest box-directed behaviors within and outside of the breeding season in European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris).  Behavioral Neuroscience, 120(6):1326-1336.

Heimovics, S. A. and Riters, L. V. (2006).  Breeding context-dependent relationships between song and cFOS labeling within social brain regions in male European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris).  Hormones and Behavior, 50(5):726-35.

Schroeder, M. B. and Riters, L. V. (2006).  Pharmacological manipulations of dopamine and opioids have differential effects on sexually motivated song production in male European starlings.  Physiology and Behavior,88, 575-584. 

Heimovics, S. A. and Riters, L. V. (2005).  Immediate early gene activity in song control nuclei and brain areas regulating motivation relates positively to singing behavior during, but not outside of, a breeding context. Journal of Neurobiology, 65(3), 207-224.

Kurt, T. D. and Riters, L. V. (2005).  Differences in badge sizes of male House Sparrows at food sources of high and low risk.   Journal of Young Investigators.  May, 2005; Vol. 12., No. 6 http://www.jyi.org/research/re.php?id=234

Riters, L. V., Schroeder, M. B., Auger, C. J., Eens, M., Pinxten, R., and Ball, G. F. (2005).  Evidence for opioid involvement in the regulation of song production in male European starlings.  Behavioral Neuroscience, 119 (1), 245-255.

Riters, L. V., Teague, D. P., Schroeder, M. B., and Cummings, S. E. (2004). Vocal production within different social contexts relates to neural differences within and outside of the song control system. Behavioural Brain Research, 155 (2), 307-318.

Riters, L. V. and Alger, S. J. (2004). Neuroanatomical evidence for indirect connections between the medial preoptic nucleus and the song control system: Possible neural substrates for sexually motivated song. Cell and Tissue Research, 316(1), 35-44.

Riters, L. V., Teague, D. P., and Schroeder, M. B. (2004). Social status interacts with badge size and neuroendocrine physiology to influence sexual behavior in male house sparrows (Passer domesticus). Brain, Behavior and Evolution, 63(3), 141-150.

Riters, L.V. and Teague, D.P. (2003). The volumes of song control nuclei, HVC and lMAN, relate to differential behavioral responses of female European starlings to male songs produced within and outside of the breeding season. Brain Research, 978, 91-98.

Riters, L. V., Eens, M., Pinxten, R., and Ball, G. F. (2002). Inverse seasonal variation in the density of a2-noradrenergic receptors and the volume of song control nuclei in male European starlings. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 444, 63-74.

Ball, G. F., Riters, L. V. and Balthazart, J. (2002). Neuroendocrinology of song behavior and avian brain plasticity: Multiple sites of action of sex steroid hormones. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, 23, 137-178.

Riters, L. V., Eens, M., Pinxten, R., Duffy, D. L., Balthazart, J., and Ball, G. F (2000). Seasonal changes in courtship song and the medial preoptic area in male European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Hormones & Behavior, 38, 250-261.

Riters, L.V. and Ball, G.F. (1999). Lesions to the medial preoptic area affect singing in the male European starling (Sturnus vulgaris). Hormones & Behavior, 36, 276-286.

Books/Monographs:

Balthazart, J. and Riters, L.V. 1999; English version 2001. Hormones and Behavior. In Bateson, P. and Alleva, E. (eds.). The Encyclopedia Italiana: The Biology of Behaviour, 4: 85-97.