Ultrasonic vocalizations produced by a mouse model of autism spectrum disorder differ following social experience

Mice are highly effective models for studying neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by abnormal social behaviors, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Because mice produce Ultrasonic Vocalizations (USVs) with many features like human speech, they have been proposed as a model for investigating neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impairments in social communication, including ASD. The BTBR T+T+Itpr3tf/J mouse is an inbred strain displaying social abnormalities, communication deficits, and repetitive behaviors analogous to the behavioral symptoms of ASD. Here, we investigate the USVs produced by male and female BTBR mice in response to long- and short-term social experiences, including exposure to an opposite-sex mouse, a same-sex mouse, or no other mouse, for 1 h prior to the recording session. Male and female BTBR mice produce USVs which vary in features and proportions produced across social experiences compared to wild-type controls. These results add to the understanding of the BTBR mouse model for humans with ASD. Funded by NIH R01 DC016641.