Exposure to novel females increases fecundity in adult male prairie voles.

Social circuitry of the mammalian brain can influence male reproductive physiology. This often manifests as plasticity in sperm production or allocation, particularly in response to male-male competition. However, socially mediated testicular plasticity has not been investigated with respect to mating and parental strategy.

Hearing in Two Closely Related Species ( and ).

The genus has been extensively used as a model for ecological, behavioral, and evolutionary investigations. We used auditory brainstem responses (ABRs), craniofacial morphology, and pinna measurements to compare characteristics that impact hearing in two wild-caught species, . We observed significant statistical differences in craniofacial and pinna attributes between species with overall exhibiting larger features than .

Sex-specific loss of mitochondrial membrane integrity in the auditory brainstem of a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome.

Sound sensitivity is one of the most common sensory complaints for people with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). How and why sounds are perceived as overwhelming by affected people is unknown. To process sound information properly, the brain requires high activity and fast processing, as seen in areas like the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) of the auditory brainstem.

Hearing ability of prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster).

The hearing abilities of mammals are impacted by factors such as social cues, habitat, and physical characteristics. Despite being used commonly to study social behaviors, hearing of the monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) has never been characterized. In this study, anatomical features are measured and auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) are used to measure auditory capabilities of prairie voles, characterizing monaural and binaural hearing and hearing range.