Effects of maternal separation on adult vocal communication: A Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) study

Child neglect increases the risk of developing social communication disorders in adulthood. This study measured how maternal separation affects vocal communication in adult Mongolian gerbils, which produce a rich vocal repertoire during social interactions. The vocalizations produced by the two adult animals when they first met were recorded and analyzed. The results showed that maternal separation (MS)-received gerbils vocalized significantly more, and the effect was more prominent in aggressive vocalizations than in non-aggressive vocalizations. These changes suggest that MS affects social interactions, and demonstrates the potential of the gerbil as a model animal for early stress-related social communication disorders.