Functional role and plasticity of brain areas in spiders

动物的中枢神经系统（CNS）在特定的处理区域整合和协调信息，并负责行为决策。一方面，行为反应可能是可塑性的，这取决于接收到的信息的数量和类型，另一方面，中枢神经系统区域本身的解剖结构也受到可塑性的影响，这取决于发育或成年期间环境提供的刺激。在这个项目中，我们研究了大脑的解剖结构及其加工区的功能作用和可塑性。我们使用蜘蛛作为目标群体，因为与其他节肢动物相比，对蜘蛛大脑的了解很少。首先，我们比较了不同生活方式的蜘蛛的大脑解剖结构——两种移动捕食者和两种固定筑巢捕食者。因此，我们评估神经丸的结构，数量和排列的差异-他们的中枢神经系统的处理区域。这种比较方法可以预测特定神经药丸的功能作用。其次，从每组中选取一个物种，我们研究了假设的主要加工神经药丸对振动和/或视觉刺激环境的神经可塑性反应。我们将量化神经丸的体积以及突触复合体的数量和密度。在第三种更具探索性的方法中，通过对活蜘蛛的振动和视觉刺激的神经丸反应的电生理记录，对神经丸功能的假设进行了测试。我们使用这些互补方法的组合方法：组织学，微ct，免疫组织学，差异刺激环境和电生理学。这个项目将在不同的层面上产生影响。它将提供关于特定大脑区域的解剖学和功能的信息，这可能会导致对节肢动物大脑进化的假设的重新评估。同样，该研究通过提供关于不同环境条件下神经可塑性程度的信息，为不断发展的认知研究领域做出了贡献。

The central nervous system (CNS) of animals integrates and coordinates information in specific processing areas and is responsible for behavioural decisions. On the one hand, behavioural responses can be plastic depending on the amount and type of information received, and on the other hand, the anatomy of the CNS areas themselves is subject to plasticity depending on the stimuli provided by the environment during development or adulthood. In this project, we investigate the anatomy of brains and the functional role and plasticity of their processing areas. We use spiders as target group since knowledge on spider brains is scarce compared to other arthropods. First, we compare brain anatomy in spiders with different modes of life - two cursorial hunters and two web-building stationary hunters. Thereby we assess differences in the structure, number and arrangement of neuropils - the processing areas of their CNS. This comparative approach allows predictions on the functional roles of specific neuropils. Secondly, using one species from each group, we investigate neuroplastic responses of the supposed major processing neuropils to a vibratory and/or visually stimulating environment. We will quantify the volume of neuropils and the number and density of synaptic complexes. In a third, more explorative approach, the hypotheses on neuropil functions are tested by means of electrophysiological recordings of the responses of neuropils to vibratory and visual stimuli in the living spider. We use a combination of methods for these complementary approaches: histology, microCT, immunohistology, differentially stimulating environments and electrophysiology.The project will have implications on different levels. It will provide information on anatomy and function of specific brain areas that may lead to a reassessment of hypotheses on the evolution of the arthropod brain. Likewise, the study contributes to the growing field of cognition research by providing information on the degree of neuroplasticity in response to different environmental conditions.