Differences in auditory brainstem responses between laboratory-reared and wild-caught prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster).

ABSTRACT: Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) are a semi-fossorial rodent that are an emerging model in social neuroscience. Comparing laboratory-reared and wild-caught individuals is essential for understanding how environmental history shapes neural and sensory traits and for assessing the ecological validity of laboratory findings. Despite this, relatively few studies have taken this approach. We used auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) to compare ABR thresholds and ABR wave characteristics between laboratory-reared and wild-caught prairie voles. ABR recordings show that, similar to other semi-fossorial rodents, M. ochrogaster exhibit a hearing range of 1-46 kHz with peak sensitivity between 8-24 kHz in wild-caught and 8-32 kHz in laboratory-reared voles. However, wild-caught prairie voles displ

SUBMITTER: Joseph L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12923069 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature