Ultrasonic signals associated with different types of social behavior of mice

Communication plays an integral role in human social dynamics and is impaired in several neurodevelopmental disorders. Mice are used to study the neurobiology of social behavior; however, the extent to which mouse vocalizations influence social dynamics has remained elusive because it is difficult t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature neuroscience 2020-03, Vol.23 (3), p.411-422
Main Authors: Sangiamo, Daniel T., Warren, Megan R., Neunuebel, Joshua P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
631/378/3917
631/378/3919
Aggression
Algorithms
Animal behavior
Animal Communication
Animal Genetics and Genomics
Animal vocalization
Animals
Behavioral Sciences
Biological Techniques
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biomedicine
Female
Group dynamics
Individuality
Interpersonal Relations
Localization
Male
Mice
Nervous system
Neurobiology
Neurodevelopmental disorders
Neurosciences
Observations
Social Behavior
Social behavior in animals
Social Dominance
Social factors
Social interactions
Sound Localization
Sound sources
Ultrasonic waves
Ultrasonics
Vocalization behavior
Vocalization, Animal - physiology
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Summary:Communication plays an integral role in human social dynamics and is impaired in several neurodevelopmental disorders. Mice are used to study the neurobiology of social behavior; however, the extent to which mouse vocalizations influence social dynamics has remained elusive because it is difficult to identify the vocalizing animal among mice involved in a group interaction. By tracking the ultrasonic vocal behavior of individual mice and using an algorithm developed to group phonically similar signals, we showed that distinct patterns of vocalization emerge as male mice perform specific social actions. Mice dominating other mice were more likely to emit different vocal signals than mice avoiding social interactions. Furthermore, we showed that the patterns of vocal expression influence the behavior of the socially engaged partner but do not influence the behavior of other animals in the cage. These findings clarify the function of mouse communication by revealing a communicative ultrasonic signaling repertoire. A sound source localization system reveals behavior-dependent vocal emission and thereby unmasks functions of social vocalization.
ISSN:1097-6256
1546-1726
DOI:10.1038/s41593-020-0584-z