Nicola Simola1, Stefan M Brudzynski2. 1. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Neuropsychopharmacology Division, University of Cagliari, Italy; National Institute of Neuroscience (INN), University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy. Electronic address: nicola.simola@unica.it. 2. Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, L3 3A1 Canada.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Adolescent and adult rats emit 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) to communicate the appetitive arousal and the presence of positive emotional states to conspecifics. NEW METHOD: Based on its communicative function, emission of 50-kHz USVs is increasingly being evaluated in preclinical studies of affective behavior, motivation and social behavior. RESULTS: Emission of 50-kHz USVs is initiated by the activation of dopamine receptors in the shell subregion of the nucleus accumbens. However, several lines of evidence show that non-dopaminergic receptors may influence the numbers of 50-kHz USVs that are emitted, as well as the acoustic parameters of calls. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS: Emission of 50-kHz USVs is a non-invasive method that may be used to study reward and motivation without the need for extensive training and complex animal manipulations. Moreover, emission of 50-kHz USVs can be used alone or combined with other well-standardized behavioral paradigms (e.g., conditioned place preference, self-administration). CONCLUSIONS: This review summarizes the current evidence concerning molecular mechanisms that regulate the emission of 50-kHz USVs. Moreover, the review discusses the usefulness of 50-kHz USVs as an experimental tool to investigate how different neurotransmitter systems regulate the manifestations of positive emotional states, and also use of this tool in preclinical modeling of psychiatric diseases.
BACKGROUND: Adolescent and adult rats emit 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) to communicate the appetitive arousal and the presence of positive emotional states to conspecifics. NEW METHOD: Based on its communicative function, emission of 50-kHz USVs is increasingly being evaluated in preclinical studies of affective behavior, motivation and social behavior. RESULTS: Emission of 50-kHz USVs is initiated by the activation of dopamine receptors in the shell subregion of the nucleus accumbens. However, several lines of evidence show that non-dopaminergic receptors may influence the numbers of 50-kHz USVs that are emitted, as well as the acoustic parameters of calls. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS: Emission of 50-kHz USVs is a non-invasive method that may be used to study reward and motivation without the need for extensive training and complex animal manipulations. Moreover, emission of 50-kHz USVs can be used alone or combined with other well-standardized behavioral paradigms (e.g., conditioned place preference, self-administration). CONCLUSIONS: This review summarizes the current evidence concerning molecular mechanisms that regulate the emission of 50-kHz USVs. Moreover, the review discusses the usefulness of 50-kHz USVs as an experimental tool to investigate how different neurotransmitter systems regulate the manifestations of positive emotional states, and also use of this tool in preclinical modeling of psychiatric diseases.
Authors: Claudia Sagheddu; Nicholas Pintori; Predrag Kalaba; Vladimir Dragačević; Gessica Piras; Jana Lubec; Nicola Simola; Maria Antonietta De Luca; Gert Lubec; Marco Pistis Journal: Biomolecules Date: 2020-05-18
Authors: Hannah L Mayberry; Heather A DeSalvo; Charlotte C Bavley; Sara H Downey; Cindy Lam; Charita Kunta; Ricardo P Fortuna; Priya H Doshi; Elizabeth B Smedley; Mathieu E Wimmer Journal: eNeuro Date: 2022-04-12