Neural responses to abiotic stress in insects

我的研究项目是关于环境因素的影响，如温度变化或氧气供应，对神经系统的运作。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可以预测全球气候变化的生态后果。从生物医学的角度来看，同样的因素也与人类病理有关，如发烧和中风引起的缺氧。在细胞水平上，像蝗虫和人类这样不同的动物的神经机制非常相似，所以我对昆虫的研究可以为其他人在哺乳动物模型中进行测试提供假设。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消耗之间的权衡。我们还对一种被称为扩散去极化（SD）的现象感兴趣。我们发现，当昆虫神经系统对极端环境压力做出反应时，它们会进入保护性昏迷状态。我们还发现昆虫的SD具有哺乳动物SD的所有特征。在下一个资助期，我们将在两个一般假设的背景下建立这些发现：1。神经功能在依赖于当前和先前的非生物应激源的节能和高性能模式之间连续变化；当非生物应激处于极端状态时，SD可作为中枢神经系统的自适应开关。未来五年我们有四个目标。其中两个是明确定义的，受训者被分配到项目中。首先是确定神经系统在设定昆虫进入冷昏迷的温度时所起的作用。许多昆虫生理学家和生态学家对此很感兴趣，但直到我们最近的工作，所有的注意力都集中在肌肉功能的失效上。第二个是测试成年果蝇对低氧水平的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中都有，因此对这一结果将会有广泛的兴趣。第三个目标是确定神经性能降低以保存能量的机制，第四个目标是探索性地找出特定神经元如何对非生物应激作出反应。我的实验室有很好的培训成功记录，项目是根据学员的时间和技术熟练程度来设计的。因此，除了对我们对神经系统脆弱性和保护机制的理解做出重大贡献外，将要进行的研究将训练本科生和研究生在困难的实验技术和可转移的技能，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.