Acoustic signals in mouse maternal behavior: retrieving and cannibalism.

The purpose of this study was to show that juvenile acoustic signals are not essential prerequisites for inhibiting parental aggression or for eliciting maternal care. This was demonstrated by comparing the behavior of Rb-3 and GFF+/+ female mice with normal audition and that of a deaf mutant GFF dn/dn. 243 females and 609 litters were used to measure cannibalism and 54 females to measure speed of retrieval. Neither rate of cannibalism nor speed of retrieval were modified by deafness, thus verifying the proposed hypothesis.