Evolution of Neural Circuits for Locomotion

了解物种特异性行为进化背后的神经机制是生物学的一个基本探索。 该项目利用腹足类软体动物（海蛞蝓）神经系统的独特特征，可以对密切相关物种的神经回路进行详细比较。在海蛞蝓中，基于独特的解剖学和生理学特征，可以在一个物种内的个体动物中识别出不同的神经细胞或神经元。 同样的特征可以用来识别其他海蛞蝓物种大脑中的神经元。 通过这种方式，可以评估这些神经元在产生行为中的作用。 该项目使用电生理学和神经解剖学技术来研究神经元及其连接的特性。 它还使用新技术来探测单个神经元表达的基因。 该项目使用一个名为NeuronBank.org的新的网络工具，使几个机构的学生和研究人员能够分享研究项目的成果。 这将为学生提供一个学习基本神经生物学技术并将其应用于重要科学问题的培训机会。 人们期望，揭示海蛞蝓中简单电路的差异将有助于了解复杂行为在进化过程中是如何产生的。 就像人们想知道人类的智力是如何从与猴子相似的大脑结构中产生一样，海蛞蝓提供了一个机会，可以弄清楚物种在由识别的神经元组成的回路水平上如何不同，这是目前在哺乳动物中调查不可行的。

Understanding the neural mechanisms that underlie the evolution of species-specific behavior is a fundamental quest in biology. This project takes advantage of unique characteristics of the nervous systems of gastropod molluscs (sea slugs) that allow detailed comparisons to be made of the neuronal circuits underlying behavior in closely-related species. In sea slugs, distinct nerve cells or neurons can be recognized among individual animals within a species based on unique anatomical and physiological characteristics. The same characteristics can be used to recognize those neurons in the brains of other sea slug species. In this way, the roles of these neurons in producing behavior can be assessed. The project uses electrophysiological and neuroanatomical techniques to study the properties of neurons and their connections. It also uses new techniques for probing the genes that are expressed by individual neurons. The project uses a new web-based tool called NeuronBank.org to allow students and researchers at several institutions to share results of research projects. This will provide a training opportunity for students to learn basic neurobiological techniques and apply them to an important scientific question. It is expected that uncovering the differences in simpler circuits in sea slugs will provide an understanding of how complex behaviors arose during evolution. Just as one would like to know how human intelligence arises from a brain structure that is similar to that of monkeys, sea slugs offer the opportunity to figure out how species can differ at the level of circuits composed of identified neurons, something that is currently not feasible to investigate in mammals.