Contribution of Endocannabinoids to Intrinsic Motivation for Undirected Singing in Adult Zebra Finches

Songbirds, such as zebra finches, spontaneously produce many song renditions for vocal practice even in the absence of apparent recipients throughout their lives. Such “undirected singing” is driven by intrinsic motivation, which arises within individuals for internal satisfaction without immediate external rewards. Intrinsic motivation for undirected singing in adult zebra finches was previously demonstrated to be critically regulated by dopamine through D2 receptors. Here, we further investigate the mechanisms of intrinsic motivation for undirected singing by focusing on endocannabinoids, which modulate dopamine signaling and contribute to motivation and reward in mammals. In songbirds, endocannabinoids have been shown to be involved in the production of undirected songs, but whether they are involved in the intrinsic motivation for undirected singing remains unknown. Using latencies of the first song production following temporary singing suppression as a measure of intrinsic motivation for undirected singing, we demonstrate that systemic administration of the direct cannabinoid agonist WIN55212-2 decreases intrinsic motivation for singing and that those effects are largely reversed by the cannabinoid antagonist SR141716A co-administered with WIN55212-2. Administration of SR141716A alone or that of two indirect cannabinoid agonists did not significantly affect intrinsic singing motivation. These results suggest that endocannabinoids are critically involved in regulating intrinsic motivation for undirected singing and provide new insights into the neural mechanisms of intrinsically motivated motor behaviors.