Circuit Mechanisms and Social Dynamics for Acoustic Communication Across Species

Whether through the spoken voice of a human or the stridulating song of the cricket, acoustic communication is an effective means of conveying information to others and is often critical for survival and reproduction. In humans, dysfunction of vocal interactions following injury or disease can be devastating for the health of an individual and society at large. Because different species may feature disparate communication strategies for the production and perception of acoustic social signals, a comparative approach to the study of the neural mechanisms underlying acoustic communication can lend insight into general mechanisms of neural function, lead to the development of novel analytical and experimental techniques, and even pave the way to novel treatments of dysfunction in human communication systems. The Gordon Research Conference on the Neural Mechanisms of Acoustic Communication (NMAC GRC) is a new GRC (now in its second year) created to bring together a highly interdisciplinary group of researchers to understand better how the brain encodes and produces acoustic signals. At the NMAC GRC, researchers studying a variety of model systems from a range of scientific perspectives will discuss topics relevant to all species, thereby breaking down the boundaries that exist across these communities. The program for the 2024 NMAC GRC will represent cutting-edge basic and clinical research in the field. Speakers and sessions will cover a range of topics, including vocal development and learning, vocal interactions, auditory specializations, genomics, predictive coding, and cortical mechanisms of vocal production.