Ultrasonic communication in rodents

• Autorzy: Wohr M.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

Rats emit distinct types of ultrasonic vocalizations (USV), which serve as situation-dependent affective signals with important communicative functions. Low-frequency 22-kHz USV typically occur in aversive situations, such as social defeat or predator exposure, whereas high-frequency 50-kHz USV can be observed in appetitive situations, like social play in juveniles or mating in adults. Importantly, the two main USV types serve distinct communicative functions and induce call-specific behavioral responses in the receiver. While 22-kHz USV probably serve as alarm calls and induce freezing behavior in the receiver, 50-kHz USV lead to social approach behavior, indicating a pro-social, affiliative communicative function. The opposite behavioral responses are paralleled by distinct patterns of brain activation. Freezing elicited by 22-kHz USV is accompanied by increased neuronal activity in brain areas regulating fear and anxiety, such as the amygdala. In contrast, social approach behavior evoked by 50-kHz USV is paralleled by reduced activity levels in the amygdala, but enhanced activity and dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens, a brain area implicated in reward processing. Together, this indicates that affective USV might be an important tool for studying the neurobiology underlying socio-affective communication, which is particularly relevant for rodent models of neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by social and communication deficits, such as autism and schizophrenia.

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis
• Rocznik: 2014
• Tom: 74
• Numer: 3
• Opis fizyczny: p.352-353

Twórcy

autor

Wohr M.

• Behavioral Neuroscience, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany