MICE CAN USE PREDICTIVE CUES TO DISCRIMINATE HETEROSPECIFIC VOCALISATION IN NOISE

Predictive processing is the default mode of operation of our sensory systems for generating stable perception. In humans, these processes are prevalently studied using relatively non-invasive measures, such as EEG and MEG - and in rare cases, EcoG and electrophysiology. Studying prediction in animal models, specifically mice, allows for neural recordings and deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind the process. Experimental paradigms that induce prediction use sequences consisting of variable and discriminable stimuli (in our case, sounds). Up to now, only a few studies have looked at the discriminative abilities of mice between complex sounds. We developped a task where mice discriminate heterospecific vocalizations in a Go/No Go protocol (Martin et al 2024). Here, we study how acoustic predictive cues can help to perform this discrimination in noisy situations. Once mice discriminate the vocalizations used as S+ and S- we introduce two pairs of harmonic sounds (with F0 at 6kHz, 8.5kHz, 11kHz and 13.5 kHz) that predict either the S+ and S-. Mice learned to use the predictive cues to anticipate the occurrence of S+ and S- in noisy situations. We present the behavioral results and preliminary neuronal results obtained during discrimination task when mice are using harmonic tone pairs to predict the occurrence of the S+ and S-.