Neuroscience JoVE (Open Access) Citable · DOI

Recording Mouse Ultrasonic Vocalizations to Evaluate Social Communication

Name: Recording Mouse Ultrasonic Vocalizations to Evaluate Social Communication
Uploaded: 2026-06-17
Description: Mice emit ultrasonic vocalizations in different contexts throughout development and in adulthood. These vocal signals are now currently used as proxies ...

DOI: 10.3791/53871-v

What you'll learn

✓ Record and identify ultrasonic vocalizations across three behavioral contexts
✓ Distinguish pup isolation calls from adult social interaction vocalizations
✓ Upload and analyze vocalization data using mouseTube database

Protocol

Mouse ultrasonic vocalizations are used as proxies to model the genetic bases of vocal communication deficits in mouse models for neuropsychiatric disorders. The present protocol describes three experimental contexts that reliably elicit ultrasonic vocalizations from pups (throughout development) and adult mice (same-sex interactions, male-estrus female interactions).

Difficulty

intermediate

Total time

~1–2 hours per recording session; varies by number of mice and behavioral contexts tested

Model organism

Mouse (multiple genotypes, including Shank2 mutants)

Biosafety

BSL-1

Steps

Record pup isolation ultrasonic vocalizations

Isolate pups from mothers and record their distress calls using ultrasonic microphone equipment. This elicits reliable vocalizations throughout developmental stages.

▶ 01:09

Record vocalizations during same-sex social interactions

Pair same-sex adult mice and record ultrasonic vocalizations emitted during social contact and exploration using the recording apparatus.

▶ 02:54

Record male vocalizations with estrus female

Introduce an estrus female to a male and record ultrasonic vocalizations during courtship and mating-related interactions.

▶ 04:19

Upload vocalization files to mouseTube database

Transfer recorded audio files to the mouseTube online repository for archiving, analysis, and comparison with other datasets.

▶ 06:21

Analyze results from mutant mouse strain

Review vocalization patterns and quantitative data from Shank2 mutant mice demonstrating protocol sensitivity to detect communication deficits.

▶ 08:13

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