Elucidation of the neural mechanisms underlying orientation in insect navigation

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K06766
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 44050:Animal physiological chemistry, physiology and behavioral biology-related
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Sakura Midori 神戸大学, 理学研究科, 准教授 (60421989)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 偏光定位 / 昆虫 / 学習

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Many insects deduce orientation using skylight polarization. It has been elucidated that the central complex in the brain encodes polarized information and integrates it with other visual information such as optic flows. However, it is still unknown how the brain control navigational behavior based on these information. In this study, using the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus, a new experimental paradigm was established to analyze neural responses in the brain during the place learning process. Both place-searching and polarotactic behaviors were modified by aversive conditioning procedures in an arena and on a treadmill device. Analyses of the neural responses in the brain during the e-vector orientation learning are in progress.

Free Research Field

神経行動学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

昆虫のナビゲーションの脳内機構は、近年飛躍的に研究がすすんでいる分野であるが、これまでのほとんどの研究は、外界からの刺激の符号化と統合や自己の動きのモニタリングに着目したものであり、個体が経験によって確立した空間認識に基づいて行動を制御するしくみについては未解明な点が多い。本研究では、生理学的な実験に適したコオロギを用いて、このナビゲーション行動発現の神経機構に切り込むための新しいパラダイムを確立できた。定住性のない単独性昆虫であるコオロギのような種においても、適切な条件づけによってナビゲーション行動の変容を捉えられたことは、今後の当該分野の研究の可能性を大きく広げる結果である。