Rat ultrasonic vocalizations and novelty-induced social and non-social investigation behavior in a seminatural environment

10.1101/2021.03.16.435680 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Indrek Heinla ◽

Xi Chu ◽

Anders Agmo ◽

Eelke Snoeren

Keyword(s):

Social Behavior ◽

Social Interactions ◽

Social Behaviors ◽

Ultrasonic Vocalizations ◽

Sensory Cues ◽

Social Investigation ◽

Wide Range ◽

Vocal Signals ◽

Transfer Of Information

Although rats are known to emit ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), it remains unclear whether these calls serve an auditory communication purpose. For USVs to be part of communication, the vocal signals will need to be a transfer of information between two or more conspecifics, and with the possibility to induce changes in the behavior of the recipient. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate the role of USVs in rats' social and non-social investigation strategies when introduced into a large novel environment with unfamiliar conspecifics. We quantified a wide range of social and non-social behaviors in the seminatural environment, which could be affected by subtle signals, including USVs. We found that during the first hour in the seminatural environment the ability to vocalize did not affect how quickly rats met each other, their overall social investigation behavior, their passive social behavior nor their aggressive behavior. Furthermore, the non-social exploratory behaviors and behaviors reflecting anxiety/stress-like states were also unaffected. These results demonstrated that a disability to vocalize did not result in significant disadvantages (or changes) compared to intact conspecifics regarding social and non-social behaviors. This suggests that other (multi)sensory cues are more relevant in social interactions than USVs.

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Effects of acute ethanol administration and chronic stress exposure on social investigation and 50kHz ultrasonic vocalizations in adolescent and adult male Sprague–Dawley rats

Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior ◽

10.1016/j.pbb.2013.01.012 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 105 ◽

pp. 17-25 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Amanda R. Willey ◽

Linda P. Spear

Keyword(s):

Chronic Stress ◽

Adult Male ◽

Ultrasonic Vocalizations ◽

Ethanol Administration ◽

Stress Exposure ◽

Sprague Dawley ◽

Social Investigation ◽

Sprague Dawley Rats ◽

Acute Ethanol

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Children and Adolescents With Epilepsy. A Clinical, Psychometric and Social Investigation Within Uppsala County, Sweden.

SSRN Electronic Journal ◽

10.2139/ssrn.3400613 ◽

1969 ◽

Author(s):

Lars-Olov Brorson

Keyword(s):

Children And Adolescents ◽

Social Investigation

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Diazepam attenuates the effects of cocaine on locomotion, 50‐kHz ultrasonic vocalizations and phasic dopamine in the nucleus accumbens of rats

British Journal of Pharmacology ◽

10.1111/bph.15658 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

William N. Sanchez ◽

Jose A. Pochapski ◽

Leticia F. Jessen ◽

Marek Ellenberger ◽

Rainer K. Schwarting ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nucleus Accumbens ◽

Ultrasonic Vocalizations

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Acupuncture Alleviates Anxiety and 22-kHz Ultrasonic Vocalizations in Rats Subjected to Repeated Alcohol Administration by Modulating the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Signaling Pathway

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22084037 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (8) ◽

pp. 4037

Author(s):

Su Yeon Seo ◽

Se Kyun Bang ◽

Suk Yun Kang ◽

Seong Jin Cho ◽

Kwang Ho Choi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Negative Emotions ◽

Acupuncture Point ◽

Repeated Administration ◽

Ultrasonic Vocalizations ◽

Corticotropin Releasing Hormone ◽

Releasing Hormone ◽

Alcohol Administration ◽

Heart Meridian ◽

Mature Brain ◽

Neurotropic Factor

The Shenmen point (acupuncture point heart 7: HT7), located in the heart meridian, is frequently used to treat mental disorders, including drug addiction, anxiety, and depression. This study aimed to determine how HT7 regulates anxiety and negative emotions caused by repeated alcohol administration, focusing on the amygdala and paraventricular nucleus (PVN). Repeated administration of alcohol (ETOH; 2 g/kg, i.p. injection, 16% v/v) for 14 days increased the corticosterone (CORT) levels, and HT7 stimulation reduced the plasma CORT levels. HT7 stimulation mitigated anxiety-like behaviors and reduced 22-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations in rats receiving repeated ETOH injections. HT7 stimulation increased the amygdala expression of mature brain-derived neurotropic factor (mBDNF) and phosphorylated tropomyosin receptor kinase B (pTrkB) and decreased the PVN corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) expression. Amygdala microinjections of the TrkB antagonist ANA-12 (0.1 pmol/1 μL) reversed the increase in PVN CRH levels. The reduced PVN CRH levels were regulated by CRH-expressing neurons in the amygdala, and the increased amygdala CRH levels were affected by the HT7-stimulation induced increases in mBDNF. HT7 stimulation alleviates increased stress hormone levels and mitigates anxiety and negative emotions caused by repeated ETOH administration. These results provide scientific support for the clinical use of acupuncture to treat various alcoholism-induced diseases.

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