Social recognition in laboratory mice requires integration of behaviorally-induced somatosensory, auditory and olfactory cues

Shani Haskal de la Zerda, Shai Netser, Hen Magalnik, Mayan Briller, Dan Marzan, Sigal Glatt, Yasmin Abergel, Shlomo Wagner

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In humans, discrimination between individuals, also termed social recognition, can rely on a single sensory modality, such as vision. By analogy, social recognition in rodents is thought to be based upon olfaction. Here, we hypothesized that social recognition in rodents relies upon integration of olfactory, auditory and somatosensory cues, hence requiring active behavior of social stimuli. Using distinct social recognition tests, we demonstrated that adult male mice do not exhibit recognition of familiar stimuli or learn the identity of novel stimuli that are inactive due to anesthesia. We further revealed that impairing the olfactory, somatosensory or auditory systems prevents behavioral recognition of familiar stimuli. Finally, we found that familiar and novel stimuli generate distinct movement patterns during social discrimination and that subjects react differentially to the movement of these stimuli. Thus, unlike what occurs in humans, social recognition in mice relies on integration of information from several sensory modalities.

Original languageEnglish
Article number105859
JournalPsychoneuroendocrinology
Volume143
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd

Keywords

  • Olfactory signature
  • Sensory integration
  • Sex discrimination
  • Social behavior
  • Social recognition
  • Social whisking

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
  • Endocrinology
  • Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Biological Psychiatry

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