Sensory cortex plasticity supports auditory social learning

Social learning (SL) through experience with conspecifics can facilitate the acquisition of many behaviors. Thus, when Mongolian gerbils are exposed to a demonstrator performing an auditory discrimination task, their subsequent task acquisition is facilitated, even in the absence of visual cues. Here, we show that transient inactivation of auditory cortex (AC) during exposure caused a significant delay in task acquisition during the subsequent practice phase, suggesting that AC activity is necessary for SL. Moreover, social exposure induced an improvement in AC neuron sensitivity to auditory cues. The magnitude of neural change during exposure correlated with task acquisition during practice. In contrast, exposure to only auditory tasks led to poorer behavioral outcomes. Finally, social information during exposure was encoded in the AC of observer animals. Together, our results suggest that social experience supports auditory AC plasticity occurring during social exposure and prior to behavioral performance.

Nihaad Paraouty, Justin D. Yao, Léo Varnet, Chi-Ning Chou, SueYeon Chung, Dan H. Sanes