Behavioral phenotyping of calcium channel (CACN) subunit α2δ3 knockout mice: Consequences of sensory cross-modal activation.

•α2δ3 knockout results in a strong anxiety-phenotype and auditory deficits.•α2δ3 KO mice develop head tremble and overreaction upon pinna touch suggesting allodynia.•Female mice reveal reduced vocalization and mother care.•Mutant mice show high performance in processing multisensory stimuli.•This increased performance may reflect described sensory cross-modal activation.