How neurons encode and regulate conversations in different contexts?
For primates, including humans, acoustic signals are essential for communication. Thanks to their cognitive abilities, they are capable of adjusting their vocal production according to the social context (eg., if an individual is addressing to their partner or to an unknown individual). However, it is not yet known how does the brain integrate and combine all this information to correctly adapt the behavior.
The MarmOTChat project aims to record and study neurons (wireless eclectrophysiology) and vocalizations of marmoset monkeys in different social contexts, under ecological
conditions, with the animals moving freely within the colony. In parallel, neurons producing oxytocin, a neurohormone involved in social behaviors and a therapeutic hope, will be stimulated to understand their influence on the acoustic communication of primates. Furthermore, these oxytocin manipulations will modulate the social behavior between the subjects and enable the investigation of the neural bases of affiliation in primates. This multidisciplinary approach will help to better understand the role of oxytocin and to learn more about the functioning of the primate brain during natural conversations in different social contexts.
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