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Study on Alston's Singing Mice Reveals Brain's Adaptability in Time Perception

Researchers discover 'temporal scaling' in neurons, offering insights into vocal communication and potential implications for technology, education, and therapy.

Singing Mice Brain Time Perception
Singing mice reveal how brains shift perception of time for tempo
Wild mouse isolated
In collaboration with New York University’s Michael Long and Stanford University’s Feng Chen and Shaul Druckmann, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory neuroscientist Arkarup Banerjee is using singing mice, like the one shown here, to understand how our brains control timing and communication. These studies may offer valuable insights into neurological conditions that affect our ability to speak, including strokes and communication disorders. (CREDIT: Banerjee lab/Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Overview

  • Researchers have discovered that the brain can adjust our perception of time to align with our needs, a finding made through studying Alston’s singing mice.
  • The study focused on the orofacial motor cortex (OMC) in the mice's brains, which governs the tempo of their vocalizations.
  • Neurons in the OMC engage in a process called 'temporal scaling', altering timing intervals instead of tracking absolute time.
  • The discovery provides new insight into how the brain generates vocal communication and might help explain how time is computed in other parts of the brain.
  • The findings have potential implications for understanding complex brain functions and applications in technology, education, and therapy.