🐭🎶 New paper by Isko et al, who study #Alston’s singing mouse, a rodent with loud, stereotyped songs.

Using bulk tracing, serial #2P #tomography, & #MAPseq of >76,000 barcoded neurons, they find expanded projections from #orofacial #MotorCortex to #auditory #cortex & #PAG. This suggests that singing / #Vocalization may emerge not from entirely new circuits, but from selective strengthening of existing motor, auditory & vocal-control pathways.

📝 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10458-y

#Neuroscience #Evolution