Memory Decoding Journal Club: The Songbird as a Model for the Generation and Learning of Complex Sequential Behaviors

• AI News Team
• February 17, 2026

​Published on February 16, 2026 8:46 PM GMTJoin Us for the Memory Decoding Journal Club!A collaboration of the Carboncopies Foundation and BPF Aspirational NeuroscienceThis time, we’re exploring a classic birdsong review on how brains generate and learn complex sequences:“The Songbird as a Model for the Generation and Learning of Complex Sequential Behaviors”Authors: Michale S. Fee & Constance ScharffInstitutions: MIT; Freie Universität BerlinSongbirds learn vocalizations through imitation and feedback—progressing from early “babbling” to highly stereotyped adult song. This paper synthesizes how specialized circuits (including a motor pathway and a basal ganglia–forebrain loop) support both precise sequence generation and learning-driven variability. We’ll discuss what this work reveals about neural “templates,” error correction, and how sequential behaviors can be both produced and refined—key themes that connect directly to memory, learning, and decoding structured neural dynamics.Presented by: Ariel Zeleznikow-JohnstonWhen? Tuesday, February 17, 2026 – 3:00 PM PST | 6:00 PM EST | 11:00 PM UTCWhere? Video conference: https://carboncopies.org/aspirational-neuroscienceRegister for updates: https://aspirationalneuroscience.org/register-with-us/Once registered, you’ll receive event invites & updates!#Neuroscience #MemoryResearch #MotorLearning #Birdsong #BasalGanglia #JournalClub#Carboncopies #AspirationalNeuroscienceDiscuss ​Read More