Neural responses to abiotic stress in insects

我的研究项目关注的是环境因素对神经系统运行的影响，例如可变的温度或氧气供应。这项研究之所以重要，至少有两个原因。从纯粹的生物学角度来看，应对这些环境因素的能力决定了不同物种的地理范围，了解它们的生理影响有助于预测全球气候变化的生态后果。从生物医学的角度来看，同样的因素与人类的病理有关，如发烧和中风导致的缺氧。在细胞层面上，像蝗虫和人类这样的各种动物的神经机制非常相似，所以我对昆虫的研究可以产生假说，供其他人在哺乳动物模型中测试。在过去的六年里，我们研究了如何调整神经性能，以优化性能和能量成本之间的权衡。此外，我们开始对一种称为扩散去极化(SD)的现象感兴趣。我们证明，当昆虫神经系统对极端环境压力做出反应时，进入保护性昏迷，就会出现SD。我们还表明，昆虫SD具有哺乳动物SD的所有特征。在下一个赠款期间，我们将在两个一般假设的背景下建立这些发现：*1.神经功能在节能和高性能模式之间的连续体中变化，取决于当前和以前的非生物应激源；*2.当非生物应激极端时，SD充当中枢神经系统的自适应开关。*我们在未来五年有四个目标。其中两个是明确定义的，受训人员被分配到项目中。第一个是确定神经系统在设定昆虫进入寒冷昏迷的温度方面所起的作用。许多昆虫生理学家和生态学家对此很感兴趣，但在我们最近的工作之前，所有的注意力都集中在肌肉功能的丧失上。第二个是测试成年果蝇对低氧水平行为反应的潜在机制。这种特殊的机制在包括哺乳动物在内的许多不同的生物体中都是相同的，因此人们将对结果产生广泛的兴趣。第三个目标是确定神经功能降低以保存能量的潜在机制，第四个目标是探索性的，以找出特定神经元如何对非生物压力做出反应。我的实验室有良好的成功培训记录，项目是根据受训者的可用时间和技术熟练程度来设计的。因此，除了对我们了解神经系统脆弱性和保护机制做出重大贡献外，将开展的研究还将培训本科生和研究生掌握困难的实验技术和可移植的技能，如批判性思维和沟通。

My research program is concerned with the impact of environmental factors, such as variable temperatures or oxygen availability, on the operation of nervous systems. This research is important for at least two reasons. From a purely biological perspective, the ability to cope with these environmental factors determines the geographical ranges of different species and understanding their physiological effects allows predictions about the ecological consequences of global climate change. From a biomedical perspective, the same factors are associated with human pathology such as fever, and oxygen deprivation resulting from a stroke. At a cellular level, neural mechanisms are remarkably similar in animals as diverse as locusts and humans, so my research with insects can generate hypotheses for others to test in mammalian models.******Over the past six years we have investigated how neural performance can be tuned to optimize the trade-off between performance and energetic cost. Also we became interested in a phenomenon known as Spreading Depolarization (SD). We showed that SD occurs in insect nervous systems when they respond to extreme environmental stress by going into a protective coma. We also showed that insect SD has all the hallmarks of mammalian SD. In the next grant period we will build on these findings in the context of two general hypotheses:***1. Neural function varies in a continuum between energy-saving and high performance modes dependent upon abiotic stressors, both current and prior;***2. SD acts as an adaptive off-switch for the central nervous system when abiotic stress is extreme.******We have four objectives for the next five years. Two of these are well-defined with trainees assigned to projects. The first is to determine the role of the nervous system in setting the temperature at which insects enter a chill coma. Many insect physiologists and ecologists are interested in this but, until our recent work, all the attention has been directed at the failure of muscle function. The second is to test a potential mechanism underlying the behavioural response of adult fruitflies to low oxygen levels. The particular mechanism is shared in many different organisms, including mammals, so there will be broad interest in the results. The third objective is to determine the mechanisms underlying the reduction of neural performance to conserve energy and the fourth is exploratory to find out how specific neurons respond to abiotic stress.******My laboratory has a good record of successful training and projects are designed according to the time available and the technical proficiency of the trainees. Thus, as well as making significant contributions to our understanding of nervous system vulnerability and protective mechanisms, the research to be undertaken will train undergraduate and graduate students in difficult experimental techniques and transferable skills such as critical thinking and communication.