Neuronal processing of translational optic flow in the visual system of the shore crab Carcinus maenas

This paper describes a search for neurones sensitive to optic flow in the visual system of the shore crab Carcinus maenas using a procedure developed from that of Krapp and Hengstenberg. This involved determining local motion sensitivity and its directional selectivity at many points within the neurone's receptive field and plotting the results on a map. Our results showed that local preferred directions of motion are independent of velocity, stimulus shape and type of motion (circular or linear). Global response maps thus clearly represent real properties of the neurones' receptive fields. Using this method, we have discovered two families of interneurones sensitive to translational optic flow. The first family has its terminal arborisations in the lobula of the optic lobe, the second family in the medulla. The response maps of the lobula neurones (which appear to be monostratified lobular giant neurones) show a clear focus of expansion centred on or just above the horizon, but at significantly different azimuth angles. Response maps such as these, consisting of patterns of movement vectors radiating from a pole, would be expected of neurones responding to self-motion in a particular direction. They would be stimulated when the crab moves towards the pole of the neurone's receptive field. The response maps of the medulla neurones show a focus of contraction, approximately centred on the horizon, but at significantly different azimuth angles. Such neurones would be stimulated when the crab walked away from the pole of the neurone's receptive field. We hypothesise that both the lobula and the medulla interneurones are representatives of arrays of cells, each of which would be optimally activated by self-motion in a different direction. The lobula neurones would be stimulated by the approaching scene and the medulla neurones by the receding scene. Neurones tuned to translational optic flow provide information on the three-dimensional layout of the environment and are thought to play a role in the judgment of heading

Input and output of the central complex related to polarized light in the nervous system of the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria

Animal species from nearly all major taxa show migratory behavior, and some of these animals cover remarkable distances. Well studied examples are migratory birds like the arctic tern Sterna paradisaea that migrates from boreal and high Arctic breeding grounds to the Southern Ocean (Egevang et al., 2009). Insects also attain excellent achievements in annual migration as shown by the monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus which changes its habitat between eastern North America and central Mexico (Kyriacou, 2009). How can these animals perform such remarkable migrations? Which mechanisms underlie such a performance? Foraging ants and bees use navigational strategies similar to those of birds and mammals to reach a goal. To navigate through familiar terrain, all of these species use path integration and memories of visual landmarks (Collett & Collett, 2002). During path integration, an animal permanently updates a homing vector resulting from all angular and translational movements so that it can always take a direct path back to its starting point (Collett & Collett, 2000). To compute resulting novel routes out of several single homing flights, bees use a map-like navigation strategy that allows targetoriented decisions at any place and toward any intended location within the familiar terrain (Menzel et al., 2006). These mechanisms are used for near-range navigation, termed as "homing", rather than for long-distance navigation tasks. Animals that navigate through unknown space are forced to use cues of a global nature, such as the geomagnetic field, the stars, and cues related to the position of the sun (Frost & Mouritsen, 2006). Like diverse marine animals, e.g. marine turtles, lobsters, and molluscs, the green sea-turtle Chelonia mydas has a magnetic map sense for navigation to specific targets (Cain et al., 2005; Lohmann et al., 2004). Many diurnal species use a time-compensated sun-compass, other sky compass cues like polarized light, or stars for steering toward distant targets (Wehner, 1984; Homberg, 2004; Frost & Mouritsen, 2006)

Chasing control in male blowflies : behavioural performance and neuronal responses

Trischler C. Chasing control in male blowflies : behavioural performance and neuronal responses. Bielefeld (Germany): Bielefeld University; 2008

Caracterización de interneuronas visuales y su relación con el aprendizaje en el cangrejo Chasmagnathus granulatus

La formación y mantenimiento de la memoria tienen lugar como resultado de procesos fisiológicos que ocurren en el ámbito de neuronas individuales. Sin embargo, los modelos experimentales para el estudio de la memoria no permiten investigar estos procesos en el animal vivo en momentos en que se encuentra aprendiendo. El propósito de este trabajo fue desarrollar una preparación experimental que permitiese indagar los cambios neurofisiológicos que ocurren en las neuronas de un animal intacto en el momento mismo del aprendizaje. La preparación desarrollada se basa, por un lado, en la capacidad del cangrejo Chasmgnathus para formar diferentes tipos de memorias visuales y retenerlas por largo tiempo, y por otro lado en que la rigidez del caparazón del animal y la fácil accesibilidad a buena parte de su cerebro ofrecen importantes ventajas metodológicas para la realización de registros intracelulares estables en el animal intacto. Al tratarse de un animal intacto, pudimos investigar el funcionamiento de diversos tipos de neuronas cerebrales frente a la presentación de estímulos casi naturales y biológicamente relevantes. Además, la estabilidad de los registros intracelulares nos permitió teñir las neuronas y estudiar su ubicación y morfología. Efectuamos una caracterización funcional de las neuronas de los primeros neuropilos visuales, realizada en base a la respuesta frente a un pulso de luz, que incluye tanto elementos con respuestas pasivas (depolarizantes e hiperpolarizantes) como neuronas que disparan potenciales de acción. Elementos que a su vez pueden presentar respuestas tónicas o fásicas. Una caracterización morfológica de estos tipos celulares incluye tanto interneuronas locales como de proyección. La comparación de estos resultados con los de otros estudios en insectos y crustáceos apoya la hipótesis de que en los artrópodos los elementos que conforman los primeros neuropilos del sistema visual estarían evolutivamente conservados. El paradigma de memoria visual ampliamente caracterizado en Chasmagnathus implica una modificación duradera de la respuesta de escape del animal frente a un estimulo visual de peligro (EVP) consistente en el movimiento de un objeto por sobre el animal. En el cerebro del cangrejo encontramos interneuronas visuales especializadas en responder al mismo EVP que provoca la respuesta de escape del cangrejo, a las que denominamos neuronas detectoras de movimiento (NDM). Una caracterización de las NDM en función de sus propiedades biofísicas intrínsecas, como también de sus campos receptivos, direccionalidad, adaptabilidad, capacidad de integración multimodal, sensibilidad por el contraste, etc., indican que se trata de un grupo heterogéneo de neuronas. No obstante, todas las NDM se ubican en la lóbula (tercer neuropilo óptico) y proyectan al cerebro medio. La morfología general de las NDM esta representada en dos tipos de patrones de arborización, ambos definidos por la típica disposición colectora de neuronas detectoras de movimiento descriptas en insectos. Encontramos que la presentación repetida del EVP produce modificaciones en la respuesta de las NDM que reflejan de manera muy ajustada las modificaciones comportamentales que ocurren durante el aprendizaje. Más aún, las modificaciones ocurridas como resultado del aprendizaje permanecen en las NDM por largo tiempo, reflejando la memoria de larga duración observada 24 hs luego de la adquisición. Los artrópodos hacen uso de importantes habilidades cognitivas para ejecutar un rico repertorio de comportamientos, muchos de los cuales están dirigidos visualmente. No obstante, el presente constituye el primer trabajo en el que se identifican neuronas individuales que sirven a un aprendizaje visual en un artrópodo. La ubicación y morfología de estas neuronas indican que, contrariamente a la idea general presupuesta, la lóbula de los artrópodos constituye un núcleo cerebral superior involucrado en funciones de aprendizaje y memoria. Los resultados se discuten también en función de su aporte a la fisiología comparada de la visión.Memory formation and its maintenance result from physiological processes that take place in individual neurons. Nevertheless, due to methodological limitations current experimental models do not allow to investigate these processes while they occur in the living animal. The aim of the present study was to develop an experimental model to overcome such limitations. A model that will allow us to assess the changes occurring in individual cells during learning by recording their activity intracellularly in the intact animal. The model was based on the visual memory abilities of the crab Chasmagnathus, and on the advantages this animal offers to perform in vivo intracellular recordings from its brain neurons. Because the animal is intact and awaken, we were able to investigate the functioning of many different classes of neurons by their responses to cuasi-natural and biologically relevant stimuli. The neurons were dye filled intracellularly, which allowed us to describe their morphologies. A physiological characterization based upon the neuronal responses to a pulse of light revealed many different cellular classes. There are spiking and non-spiking neurons, some of which respond to the light stimulus with depolarization while others show hiperpolarization. In addition, their responses can be either tonic or phasic. On the other hand, the morphological study of these cells reveals that they can be local or projecting interneurons. The comparison of these results with those obtained from insects and other crustaceans supports the idea that neuronal element of the first visual neuropils are largely conserved among arthropods. The memory paradigm studied in Chasmagnathus implies a long-term change of the animal escape response occurred upon the repeated presentation of a visual danger stimulus (VDS), which consists of an object moving overhead. Recording from the brain we found neurons that respond to the same VDS that elicits the escape response. We termed these elements movement detector neurons (MDN). A characterization of MDN based on their intrinsic properties and also on parameter such as their receptive field, direction and contrast sensitivity, multimodal integration abilities, etc., indicates that the group of MDNs is formed by several neuronal subclasses. Yet, all stained MDNs were found to be localized in the lobula (third optic neuropil) and project to the midbrain. Their general morphologies resemble the collator neurons described in insects. Upon repeated VDS presentations, the response of MDNs shows changes that are remarkably identical to the modifications that are observed at the behavioral level. Moreover, the long-lasting behavioral changes, i. e. the long-term memory, are fully acquainted by the changes of performance retained by MDNs. Arthropod are now known to posses important cognitive abilities, many of which are based on the visual sense. Surprisingly enough, the brain areas involved in the visual memories of these animals were completely ignored. Here, we show the first identification of individual neurons involved in the memory of an arthropod. In contradiction with the general assumption, our results point to the lobula of arthropods as a higher brain center involved in learning and memory. The results are also discussed in terms of their contribution to the comparative physiology of vision.Fil:Berón de Astrada, Martín. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina