Biological and Acoustic Sex Differences in Rat Ultrasonic Vocalization

The rat model is a useful tool for understanding peripheral and central mechanisms of laryngeal biology. Rats produce ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) that have communicative intent and are altered by experimental conditions such as social environment, stress, diet, drugs, age, and neurological diseases, validating the rat model's utility for studying communication and related deficits. Sex differences are apparent in both the rat larynx and USV acoustics and are differentially affected by experimental conditions. Therefore, the purpose of this review paper is to highlight the known sex differences in rat USV production, acoustics, and laryngeal biology detailed in the literature across the lifespan.

Automated summary

The rat model is a useful tool for studying communication and related deficits, as rat produce ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) that are altered by various experimental conditions. Sex differences are apparent in both the rat larynx and USV acoustics, and are differentially affected by experimental conditions. Therefore, studying these sex differences across the lifespan can provide valuable insights into the effects of experimental conditions.