How insects know their spatial environment using active tactile sense and idiothetic information

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24570088
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Animal physiology/Animal behavior
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: OKADA Jiro 長崎大学, 水産・環境科学総合研究科(環境), 教授 (10284481)
• Research Collaborator: TAKEDA Shinya ; NAGATOMO Kazuya ; SUGIMACHI Seigo
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 能動感覚（アクティブ・センス） / 空間認知 / 昆虫 / アンテナ（触角） / 触覚 / 体移動 / 歩行

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The neural mechanisms of spatial recognition in cockroaches and crickets were examined with special reference to tactile sense from active antennae and idiothetic information. The antennal motor system of the cockroach was activated by application of a muscarinic agonist (pilocarpine) to the isolated CNS specimen. The analysis on spike responses of antennal motor nerves to antennal tactile stimuli revealed that there were substantial differences in the response patterns between the resting and activated states. Application of pilocarpine to the isolated CNS specimen also activated the leg motor system. In addition, the results of lesion experiments suggested that ascending signals from the abdominal ganglia to the thoracic ganglia is critical for pharmacological activation of the leg motor system.

Free Research Field

神経行動学