Social experience influences ultrasonic vocalization perception in laboratory mice

Abstract

Mice emit ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) which vary in spectrotemporal parameters (e.g., frequency, amplitude, and duration) in a multitude of social situations. USVs are often assumed to possess speech-like characteristics, although it has not yet been established that mice are using USVs for communication purposes. Previous studies have shown changes in auditory cortex activity in maternal females to pup calls, but it is currently unknown how previous social experience with other mice throughout development affects perception of adult vocalizations. To test the effect of socialization, we used an operant conditioning task to determine if discrimination of USVs was negatively impacted by chronic social isolation compared to mice that were group housed throughout their lifespan. Mice discriminated between twelve USVs of three different categories. Mice that had been socially isolated since weaning showed deficits in discrimination of some USVs. Additionally, socially isolated mice required more training and testing, and more trials to complete the task than socially experienced mice. These results indicate that experiencing USVs during social interactions affects how the mice perceive their vocalizations, suggesting that these vocalizations could have context-specific meaning that is learned through hearing USVs within the appropriate social context.