RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Input and Output Connections of the Crow Nidopallium Caudolaterale
JF eneuro
JO eNeuro
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP ENEURO.0098-24.2024
DO 10.1523/ENEURO.0098-24.2024
VO 11
IS 4
A1 Kersten, Ylva
A1 Moll, Felix W.
A1 Erdle, Saskia
A1 Nieder, Andreas
YR 2024
UL http://www.eneuro.org/content/11/4/ENEURO.0098-24.2024.abstract
AB The avian telencephalic structure nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL) functions as an analog to the mammalian prefrontal cortex. In crows, corvid songbirds, it plays a crucial role in higher cognitive and executive functions. These functions rely on the NCL's extensive telencephalic connections. However, systematic investigations into the brain-wide connectivity of the NCL in crows or other songbirds are lacking. Here, we studied its input and output connections by injecting retrograde and anterograde tracers into the carrion crow NCL. Our results, mapped onto a published carrion crow brain atlas, confirm NCL multisensory connections and extend prior pigeon findings by identifying a novel input from the hippocampal formation. Furthermore, we analyze crow NCL efferent projections to the arcopallium and report newly identified arcopallial neurons projecting bilaterally to the NCL. These findings help to clarify the role of the NCL as central executive hub in the corvid songbird brain.