Fig. 1
From: The molecular architecture of a complex social behavior: gregarious song
Medial preoptic area drives seasonally contextual singing behavior in birds. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) expression in the medial preoptic area (mPOA) is elevated in breeding birds. GnRH governs seasonal changes in testosterone production which facilitates sexual behavior, as well as territorial and copulatory singing behavior. Other neurochemical systems, such as dopamine, act to increase the motivation and reward properties associated with singing. Conversely, gregarious song production during the non-breeding season was found to be highly associated with dopamine pathways as well as glutamate signalling systems. Abbreviations: Dopamine receptor (DRD); Glutamate ionotropic receptor N-methyl-D-aspartate type subunit 1 (GRIN1)