A groundbreaking study by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has revealed significant sex-based differences in how early auditory experiences influence brain development and lifelong sensory preferences. Published in Cell Reports, the findings show that identical sonic environments can trigger different neural pathways in male and female mice, offering new insights into sensory processing and possible parallels in human auditory development.
Early sound shapes behaviour differently in males and females
The study, titled “Sound preferences in mice are sex-dependent”, demonstrates that early sound exposure affects behaviour in a sex-specific way.
- Male mice raised in silence or exposed solely to artificial sounds showed strong aversion to music as adults.
- Males nurtured with Beethoven’s compositions displayed broader tastes and actively sought musical stimuli.
- Female mice maintained diverse preferences regardless of whether they experienced silence, non-musical noises, or classical melodies.
Neural observations showed that in females, higher neutral activity in the auditory cortex correlated with reduced music affinity, while males did not show a clear neural-behavioural link.
Methodology: controlled auditory exposure
Led by Professor Israel Nelken and doctoral student Kamini Sehrawat from the Edmond and Lily Safra Centre for Brain Sciences, the team exposed newborn mice to controlled auditory conditions from postnatal day 7 – day 40, a critical period for brain plasticity.
- Pups heard the first movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, filtered to match the mouse hearing range of 1.5 – 30 kHz at 70 – 75 dB SPL.
- Other groups were exposed to non-musical chirps or complete silence.
- Naive controls experienced standard lab acoustics.
Adult mice were later tested in choice chambers, revealing stark sex differences in sound preferences. “These results suggest that early sound exposure affects males and females in fundamentally different ways,” said Sehrawat. “What looks like the same experience at the surface may trigger completely different neural adaptations in each sex.”
Professor Nelken added, “Our findings in mice 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.”
Broader implications for auditory neuroscience
Beethoven was used as a complex auditory probe rather than a therapeutic tool. The study found suppressed neural firing in the auditory cortex for exposed mice compared with controls, with females uniquely linking response strength to avoidance behaviours.
These sex-dependent patterns align with human research:
- Females process sounds faster and more robustly, with earlier subcortical response latencies emerging post-infancy.
- Males experience accelerated declines in response magnitude and timing during adolescence.
- Females sustain sharper encoding of speech harmonics and fine structures.
Such differences may underlie higher rates of language disorders in males, as subcortical sex differences only partially explain temporal processing vulnerabilities.
Hormonal influences also play a role:
- Prenatal and postnatal testosterone shapes auditory circuits, producing weaker otoacoustic emissions in males from birth.
- In infants, sex affects neural encoding of voice pitch and formants, modulated further by enriched sound environments.
- In rodents, oestrogen fluctuations affect auditory processing across the estrous cycle, mirroring human menstrual variations.
These findings suggest that male and female auditory systems mature asynchronously, with females’ right auditory cortex developing earlier. This may explain why early sound exposure has a stronger impact on males, fostering more rigid preferences.
Implications for research and education
The study highlights the importance of considering sex in neuroscience research. Pooling sexes may obscure key developmental differences. Clinically, findings could inform interventions such as noise protection for male infants or enriched acoustic environments for at-risk female infants. The research may also guide music education and therapy, encouraging sex-specific approaches to rhythm and melody.
Hebrew University: a legacy of innovation
Founded in 1925, the Hebrew University celebrates its centenary in 2025. It houses Albert Einstein’s archives, produces 40% of Israel’s civilian research, and has filed over 11,000 patents. Its 23,000 students represent 80 nations, and faculty and alumni have earned ten Nobel Prizes and a Fields Medal.
The paper is accessible at ScienceDirect.
As neuroscience continues to explore these sex-specific auditory differences, one message remains clear: early experiences shape us all, just in different ways.