Early sound exposure shapes male and female rat brains differently

Early sound exposure shapes male and female rat brains differently, leading to distinct auditory preferences. Male rats exposed to Beethoven showed varied music preferences, unlike those raised in silence who developed an aversion. Female rats' auditory cortex activity correlated with their musical taste, a link absent in males. The study, published in Cell Reports, highlights how the same early auditory environment can profoundly impact behavior and neural processing differently based on sex.