Local processing of auditory information in the thorax of Ensifera

声音信号通常根据载波频率、时间模式和声音方向进行分析，以选择适当的行为，如逃逸动作或接近潜在的交配伙伴。许多直翅目昆虫使用声学信号进行种内交流。对于一些Ensifera物种(蟋蟀、麒麟科和同类)来说，神经元活动与行为的相关性已经被确定。这些数据几乎完全来自于连接前胸神经节(来自耳朵的感觉神经元的终止点)和大脑的节间神经元。对Ensifera前胸神经节的局部加工知之甚少，尽管节间中间神经元的反应曲线显示了许多重要的前胸加工的迹象。唯一的例外是由一个大型神经元--omega神经元处理方向信息。目前的项目旨在了解在行为上相关的时间模式处理和载频处理的前胸神经节。对于这两个参数，抑制已被证明在塑造神经元属性方面发挥了重要作用。引起这些抑制的局部神经元还没有确定。通过记录小的局部神经元，将描述它们的形态和生理特性。通过用药物阻滞剂消除抑制和免疫组织化学分析染色神经元的神经节，这些成分对(主要)抑制加工的贡献将被阐明。通过从潜在的突触后元件记录过程中局部神经元的光灭活，可以显示单个局部神经元对突触后细胞的反应特性的贡献。总而言之，我们想要揭示这个本地网络中声音模式和载波频率处理的潜在机制。

Acoustic signals usually are analyzed regarding carrier frequency, temporal pattern and sound direction for choosing appropriate behaviors like escape movements or approach to a potential mating partner. Many Orthoptera use acoustic signaling for intraspecific communication. For a few species of Ensifera (crickets, katydids and allies) correlates of neuronal activity to behavior have been identified. These data come nearly exclusively from intersegmental interneurons, which connect the prothoracic ganglion (site of termination of sensory neurons from the ear) with the brain. Little is known about local processing in the prothoracic ganglion of Ensifera, even though response profiles of intersegmental interneurons show manifold indications of important prothoracic processing. The only exception to this is processing of directional information by one large neuron, the omega-neuron. The current project aims at understanding behaviourally relevant temporal pattern processing and carrier frequency processing in the prothoracic ganglion of katydids. For both parameters inhibitions have been shown to play a major role in shaping neuronal properties. The local neurons evoking these inhibitions are not identified. By recording from small local neurons their morphological and physiological properties will be described. By eliminating inhibition by means of pharmacological blockers and immunohistochemical analysis of ganglia with stained neurons the contribution of these elements to (mainly) inhibitory processing will be elucidated. By photo-inactivation of a local neuron during recording from a potential postsynaptic element the contribution of single local neurons to response properties of postsynaptic cells can be shown. All in all, we want to reveal the underlying mechanisms of sound pattern and carrier frequency processing in this local network.