Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario L2S 3A1, Canada.
Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2013 Jun;23(3):310-7. doi: 10.1016/j.conb.2013.01.014. Epub 2013 Jan 31.
Adult rats emit two categories of ultrasonic vocalizations, 22 kHz calls and 50 kHz calls. These vocalizations communicate animal's emotional state to other members of the social group. Production of social vocalizations is an evolutionary old activity in vertebrates, and is regulated by well-preserved brain circuitries. The 22 kHz calls express negative, aversive state and are initiated by activity of the mesolimbic cholinergic system originating from laterodorsal tegmental nucleus. The 50 kHz calls express positive, appetitive state and are initiated by activity of the mesolimbic dopaminergic system originating from the ventral tegmental area. The 22 kHz calls serve as warning and alarm calls, while the 50 kHz calls serve as affiliative and social-cooperating calls. These specie-specific vocalizations play role of ethological transmitters, termed ethotransmitters, that is, they are species-specific signals that are selectively recognized by receivers and have capability of changing emotional state of the receivers.
成年大鼠会发出两种类型的超声波叫声，22 kHz 叫声和 50 kHz 叫声。这些叫声将动物的情绪状态传达给社交群体的其他成员。产生社交叫声是脊椎动物中一种古老的进化活动，由经过良好保护的大脑回路调节。22 kHz 叫声表达消极、厌恶的状态，由起源于中脑被盖外侧核的中脑边缘胆碱能系统的活动引发。50 kHz 叫声表达积极、渴望的状态，由起源于腹侧被盖区的中脑边缘多巴胺能系统的活动引发。22 kHz 叫声充当警告和警报叫声，而 50 kHz 叫声充当亲和和社交合作叫声。这些种特异性叫声充当行为传递者，称为行为传递者，即它们是由接收者选择性识别的特定于物种的信号，并且具有改变接收者情绪状态的能力。
