Sex differences in vocalizations to familiar or unfamiliar females in mice

Abstract

Mice, both wild and laboratory strains, emit ultrasound to communicate. The sex differences between male to female (male–female) and female to female (female–female) ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) have been discussed for decades. In the present study, we compared the number of USVs emitted to familiar and unfamiliar females by both males (male–female USVs) and females (female–female USVs). We found that females vocalized more to unfamiliar than to familiar females. By contrast, males exhibited more USVs to familiar partners. This sexually dimorphic behaviour suggests that mice change their vocal behaviour in response to the social context, and their perception of the context is based on social cognition and memory. In addition, because males vocalized more to familiar females, USVs appear to be not only a response to novel objects or individuals, but also a social response.

Ultrasonic vocalizations in laboratory mice: strain, age, and sex differences

“…Our findings corroborated results from previous studies showing that strain or genetic background, age, sex, as well as responsiveness to the environmental stimuli (i.e., body temperature) influence the social mouse behaviors, specifically how mice communicate and socially interact with conspecifics 28,46,49–51 . In the current study, differences among three strains emerged both in the USV rate and vocal repertoire (according to spectrographic features of each call), as well as in social performances.…”

Acoustic camera system for measuring ultrasound communication in mice

“…Similar differences in the amount of USVs can also be found among recent previous studies using B6 female; females vocalized to females (F-F) more than males vocalized to females (M-F) in some study ( Hammerschmidt et al., 2012 ), but the amount of such USVs was comparable between females and males in other study ( Matsumoto and Okanoya, 2018 ). In another study, fewer amount of F-F USVs was observed than M-F USVs ( Sasaki et al., 2020 ). Thus, the amount of vocalization seems to vary from study to study, and the causes are not well understood.…”

“…One possible explanation could be that, mice used as intruders are usually housed in group (e.g. Hammerschmidt et al., 2012 ; Matsumoto and Okanoya, 2018 ; Sasaki et al., 2020 ), but subject mice in the present study were deployed as both residents and intruders, and housed singly. Since the B6 females in this study exhibited low vocalization, we cannot rule out the possibility that B6 females vocalize toward males.…”

Cortical circuits modulate mouse social vocalizations

“…The involvement of the ACC in the mouse USV process opens the option that this process is more complex and plastic than currently assumed. It is already known that mice vocalize differently when social context is varied (Chabout et al 2012; 2015; Ey, Chaumont, and Bourgeron 2020; Sasaki, Tomita, and Kanno 2020), and that they can modulate their pitch in a cross-strain fostering scenario (Arriaga and Jarvis 2013). The access in the mouse to specific cell populations and genetic manipulations provide a unique opportunity to explore and manipulate higher-order control on the USV-controlling network and ultimately relate it to human speech in health and in various forms of neurological and genetic conditions in which it is disrupted (Ciucci et al 2010; French et al 2019; Grant et al 2014, 201; Michetti 2012, 20; 2012, 20; Offen et al 2018; Scattoni et al 2008; Selimbeyoglu et al 2017; Shu et al 2005; Wöhr 2014; Young et al 2010, 201).…”