Research conducted by Kamini Sehrawat and Prof. Israel Nelken at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has uncovered significant differences in how male and female mice respond to early sound experiences. Their study, published in Cell Reports, explores the impact of auditory exposure on sensory preferences, revealing that early interactions with sound shape the brains of male and female mice differently.
The researchers exposed baby mice to the first movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, using this well-structured piece as a tool to examine how early auditory experiences influence behavior and brain function. The findings indicate that while both sexes were affected by their sound environment, the outcomes diverged significantly along gender lines.
Male mice exhibited a pronounced aversion to unfamiliar sound settings. Those raised in silence or subjected to a series of artificial sounds tended to avoid music as adults. Conversely, male mice that were exposed to Beethoven’s symphony developed a wider range of musical preferences, with many showing a distinct attraction to music.
In contrast, female mice displayed less susceptibility to their early auditory experiences. Their preferences were more varied but did not strongly correlate with the sounds they were exposed to during development. Notably, increased neural activity in the auditory cortex of female mice was linked to a lesser enjoyment of music, a relationship that was not evident in males.
Sehrawat, who led the experiments, emphasized the implications of these findings: “These results suggest that early sound exposure affects males and females in fundamentally different ways. What looks like the same experience at the surface may trigger completely different neural adaptations in each sex.”
Prof. Nelken elaborated on the significance of the research, stating, “Our findings in mice intriguingly suggest that sound preferences rely on mechanisms that operate differently in males and females. Understanding those differences could shed light on how early sensory experiences shape emotional and cognitive development.”
The implications of this study extend beyond the confines of the laboratory. The nuanced responses of male and female mice to the same auditory stimuli raise questions about the broader impact of early sound exposure on cognitive and emotional development across species.
As researchers continue to explore these differences, the work of Sehrawat and Nelken contributes to a deeper understanding of how sensory experiences influence behavior and preferences, potentially informing future studies on human auditory development.
For more information, refer to the publication: Kamini Sehrawat et al, “Sound preferences in mice are sex dependent,” Cell Reports, (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.116454.
