What do mammals have to say about the neurobiology of acoustic communication?

TL;DR

This paper reviews how different mammals, like mice and bats, help scientists understand how the brain processes sound for communication.

Contribution

The paper highlights underutilized mammalian models, such as mice and bats, for studying acoustic communication neurobiology.

Findings

Mice and bats offer unique insights into auditory communication due to their distinct behaviors and neural systems.

Comparative studies across species can reveal general principles of auditory processing and communication.

Songbirds remain a key model, but new mammalian models are expanding the field.

Abstract

Auditory communication is crucial across taxa, including humans, because it enables individuals to convey information about threats, food sources, mating opportunities, and other social cues necessary for survival. Comparative approaches to auditory communication will help bridge gaps across taxa and facilitate our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying this complex task. In this work, we briefly review the field of auditory communication processing and the classical champion animal, the songbird. In addition, we discuss other mammalian species that are advancing the field. In particular, we emphasize mice and bats, highlighting the characteristics that may inform how we think about communication processing.

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