Listening to your partner: serotonin increases male responsiveness to female vocal signals in mice
The context surrounding vocal communication can have a strong influence on how vocal signals are perceived. The serotonergic system is well-positioned for modulating the perception of communication signals according to context, because serotonergic neurons are responsive to social context, influence...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2023.1304653/full |
| _version_ | 1797347874403516416 |
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| author | Kayleigh E. Hood Kayleigh E. Hood Laura M. Hurley Laura M. Hurley |
| author_facet | Kayleigh E. Hood Kayleigh E. Hood Laura M. Hurley Laura M. Hurley |
| author_sort | Kayleigh E. Hood |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The context surrounding vocal communication can have a strong influence on how vocal signals are perceived. The serotonergic system is well-positioned for modulating the perception of communication signals according to context, because serotonergic neurons are responsive to social context, influence social behavior, and innervate auditory regions. Animals like lab mice can be excellent models for exploring how serotonin affects the primary neural systems involved in vocal perception, including within central auditory regions like the inferior colliculus (IC). Within the IC, serotonergic activity reflects not only the presence of a conspecific, but also the valence of a given social interaction. To assess whether serotonin can influence the perception of vocal signals in male mice, we manipulated serotonin systemically with an injection of its precursor 5-HTP, and locally in the IC with an infusion of fenfluramine, a serotonin reuptake blocker. Mice then participated in a behavioral assay in which males suppress their ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in response to the playback of female broadband vocalizations (BBVs), used in defensive aggression by females when interacting with males. Both 5-HTP and fenfluramine increased the suppression of USVs during BBV playback relative to controls. 5-HTP additionally decreased the baseline production of a specific type of USV and male investigation, but neither drug treatment strongly affected male digging or grooming. These findings show that serotonin modifies behavioral responses to vocal signals in mice, in part by acting in auditory brain regions, and suggest that mouse vocal behavior can serve as a useful model for exploring the mechanisms of context in human communication. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T11:55:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3607d2f50521450aa0ca4dfe92f1c176 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-5161 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T11:55:13Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-3607d2f50521450aa0ca4dfe92f1c1762024-01-24T04:25:12ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Human Neuroscience1662-51612024-01-011710.3389/fnhum.2023.13046531304653Listening to your partner: serotonin increases male responsiveness to female vocal signals in miceKayleigh E. Hood0Kayleigh E. Hood1Laura M. Hurley2Laura M. Hurley3Hurley Lab, Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United StatesCenter for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United StatesHurley Lab, Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United StatesCenter for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United StatesThe context surrounding vocal communication can have a strong influence on how vocal signals are perceived. The serotonergic system is well-positioned for modulating the perception of communication signals according to context, because serotonergic neurons are responsive to social context, influence social behavior, and innervate auditory regions. Animals like lab mice can be excellent models for exploring how serotonin affects the primary neural systems involved in vocal perception, including within central auditory regions like the inferior colliculus (IC). Within the IC, serotonergic activity reflects not only the presence of a conspecific, but also the valence of a given social interaction. To assess whether serotonin can influence the perception of vocal signals in male mice, we manipulated serotonin systemically with an injection of its precursor 5-HTP, and locally in the IC with an infusion of fenfluramine, a serotonin reuptake blocker. Mice then participated in a behavioral assay in which males suppress their ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in response to the playback of female broadband vocalizations (BBVs), used in defensive aggression by females when interacting with males. Both 5-HTP and fenfluramine increased the suppression of USVs during BBV playback relative to controls. 5-HTP additionally decreased the baseline production of a specific type of USV and male investigation, but neither drug treatment strongly affected male digging or grooming. These findings show that serotonin modifies behavioral responses to vocal signals in mice, in part by acting in auditory brain regions, and suggest that mouse vocal behavior can serve as a useful model for exploring the mechanisms of context in human communication.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2023.1304653/fullinferior colliculusserotoninvocalizationcourtshipUSVsqueak |
| spellingShingle | Kayleigh E. Hood Kayleigh E. Hood Laura M. Hurley Laura M. Hurley Listening to your partner: serotonin increases male responsiveness to female vocal signals in mice Frontiers in Human Neuroscience inferior colliculus serotonin vocalization courtship USV squeak |
| title | Listening to your partner: serotonin increases male responsiveness to female vocal signals in mice |
| title_full | Listening to your partner: serotonin increases male responsiveness to female vocal signals in mice |
| title_fullStr | Listening to your partner: serotonin increases male responsiveness to female vocal signals in mice |
| title_full_unstemmed | Listening to your partner: serotonin increases male responsiveness to female vocal signals in mice |
| title_short | Listening to your partner: serotonin increases male responsiveness to female vocal signals in mice |
| title_sort | listening to your partner serotonin increases male responsiveness to female vocal signals in mice |
| topic | inferior colliculus serotonin vocalization courtship USV squeak |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2023.1304653/full |
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