Neuroendocrine Role of Biogenic Amines in the Photoperiodic Control of Pheromone Perception

昆虫每年毁坏的农作物不计其数。 喷涂 杀虫剂控制害虫引起了严重的关注， 对其他物种尤其是人类的影响。 信息素是个体释放到大脑中的化学信号。 影响行为的外部环境和/或 其他人的生理状态。 在昆虫中， 信息素是交流的主要形式之一。 以来 这些化学信号提供了一种非侵入性的控制方法 昆虫种群，信息素的使用作为一个组成部分， 对许多鳞翅目昆虫的综合害虫管理计划 害虫种类是相当重要和令人感兴趣的。 之一 昆虫这种交流的突出特点是， 雌虫释放信息素，雄虫作出反应， 在一个物种特征的时间。 这种时间同步 确保雄性和雌性能够找到彼此 在环境条件最有利于 交配 Linn和Roelofs博士的研究计划旨在 了解这些化学信号的机制， 昆虫使用的。 在这个项目中，他们将确定男性 昆虫能分辨时间，所以它们对化学物质有反应。 当雌性释放的时候会发出信号。它们会集中注意力在 生物胺章鱼胺、血清素和褪黑激素。 章鱼胺和血清素被选中是因为他们以前的 工作表明，这两种胺影响时间和 雄性对信息素的敏感性 褪黑激素是一种 优秀的候选人考虑到这种激素的重要作用， 脊椎动物中昼夜节律调节活动的调节， 包括人类 林博士和鲁洛夫斯博士将决定 这些生物胺，行为和 与昼夜节律活动相关的神经区域。 的结果 这些基础生物学研究提供了 关于无脊椎动物和脊椎动物神经生物学。 而且他们的 研究将有助于信息素的持续发展 农业实用引诱剂。

Insects destroy inestimable amount of crops each year. Spraying insecticides to control pests has raised serious concerns because of ancillary effects upon other species, especially humans. Pheromones are chemical signals that individuals release into the external environment that affect the behavior and/or physiological states of other individuals. In insects, pheromones are one of the major forms of communication. Since these chemical signals provide a non-invasive method for control of insect populations, the use of pheromones as an integral part of integrated pest management programs for many lepidopterous pest species is of considerable importance and interest. One of the prominent features of this communication in insects is that release of the pheromone by females and response by males occurs during a species-characteristic time. This temporal synchrony assures that males and females will be able to locate one another at a time when environmental conditions ar most favorable for mating. Drs. Linn and Roelofs' research program is aimed at understanding the mechanisms by which these chemical signals are used by insects. In this project, they will determine how male insects can tell time so that they are responsive to the chemical signals when the females are releasing it. They will focus on the biogenic amines octopamine, serotonin and melatonin. Octopamine and serotonin were selected because their previous work indicates that these two amines affect both the timing and the sensitivity of males to pheromones. Melatonin is an excellent candidate given the significant role of this hormone in the regulation of circadian-regulated activates in vertebrates, including humans. Drs Linn and Roelofs will determine the relationship between these biogenic amines, behavior and the neural regions associated circadian activity. The results from these basic biological studies provide fundamental information about invertebrate and vertebrate neurobiology. Moreover, their research will aid in the continuing development of pheromone attractants for practical agricultural use.