Domestic cat larynges can produce purring frequencies without neural input

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F61989592%3A15310%2F23%3A73621549" target="_blank" >RIV/61989592:15310/23:73621549 - isvavai.cz</a>

Výsledek na webu

<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982223012307" target="_blank" >https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982223012307</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.09.014" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.cub.2023.09.014</a>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

Domestic cat larynges can produce purring frequencies without neural input

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

Most mammals produce vocal sounds according to the myoelastic-aerodynamic (MEAD) principle, through self-sustaining oscillation of laryngeal tissues. In contrast, cats have long been believed to produce their low-frequency purr vocalizations through a radically different mechanism involving active muscle contractions (AMC), where neurally driven electromyographic burst patterns (typically at 20–30 Hz) cause the intrinsic laryngeal muscles to actively modulate the respiratory airflow. Direct empirical evidence for this AMC mechanism is sparse. Here, the fundamental frequency (fo) ranges of eight domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) were investigated in an excised larynx setup, to test the prediction of the AMC hypothesis that vibration should be impossible without neuromuscular activity, and thus unattainable in excised larynx setups, which are based on MEAD principles. Surprisingly, all eight excised larynges produced self-sustained oscillations at typical cat purring rates. Histological analysis of cat larynges revealed the presence of connective tissue masses, up to 4 mm in diameter, embedded in the vocal fold. This vocal fold specialization appears to allow the unusually low fo values observed in purring. While our data do not fully reject the AMC hypothesis for purring, they show that cat larynges can easily produce sounds in the purr regime with fundamental frequencies of 25 to 30 Hz without neural input or muscular contraction. This strongly suggests that the physical and physiological basis of cat purring involves the same MEAD-based mechanisms as other cat vocalizations (e.g., meows) and most other vertebrate vocalizations but is potentially augmented by AMC.

Název v anglickém jazyce

Domestic cat larynges can produce purring frequencies without neural input

Popis výsledku anglicky

Most mammals produce vocal sounds according to the myoelastic-aerodynamic (MEAD) principle, through self-sustaining oscillation of laryngeal tissues. In contrast, cats have long been believed to produce their low-frequency purr vocalizations through a radically different mechanism involving active muscle contractions (AMC), where neurally driven electromyographic burst patterns (typically at 20–30 Hz) cause the intrinsic laryngeal muscles to actively modulate the respiratory airflow. Direct empirical evidence for this AMC mechanism is sparse. Here, the fundamental frequency (fo) ranges of eight domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) were investigated in an excised larynx setup, to test the prediction of the AMC hypothesis that vibration should be impossible without neuromuscular activity, and thus unattainable in excised larynx setups, which are based on MEAD principles. Surprisingly, all eight excised larynges produced self-sustained oscillations at typical cat purring rates. Histological analysis of cat larynges revealed the presence of connective tissue masses, up to 4 mm in diameter, embedded in the vocal fold. This vocal fold specialization appears to allow the unusually low fo values observed in purring. While our data do not fully reject the AMC hypothesis for purring, they show that cat larynges can easily produce sounds in the purr regime with fundamental frequencies of 25 to 30 Hz without neural input or muscular contraction. This strongly suggests that the physical and physiological basis of cat purring involves the same MEAD-based mechanisms as other cat vocalizations (e.g., meows) and most other vertebrate vocalizations but is potentially augmented by AMC.

Druh

J_imp - Článek v periodiku v databázi Web of Science

CEP obor

—

OECD FORD obor

10613 - Zoology

Projekt

—

Návaznosti

S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Rok uplatnění

2023

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

CURRENT BIOLOGY

ISSN

0960-9822

e-ISSN

1879-0445

Svazek periodika

33

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

21

Stát vydavatele periodika

US - Spojené státy americké

Počet stran výsledku

9

Strana od-do

4727-"4732.e4"

Kód UT WoS článku

001109214000001

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

2-s2.0-85174630524