Recruitment of octopaminergic neurons in different insect species

八胺能背侧或腹侧不成对正中(DUM或VUM)神经元存在于所有昆虫中，参与调节神经肌肉传递和调节其靶组织的能量代谢。它们在不同的运动行为中被不同地招募，尽管激活的提取机制尚不清楚，特别是没有突触前神经元与DUM/VUM神经元进行直接突触接触。通过对两个直翅目昆虫物种--“原始”的新西兰Weta、非洲蝗虫和一只美洲飞蛾的比较研究，我们将研究八胺能神经元招募的差异及其对不同行为约束的适应。具体地说，将涉及以下问题：1)在不同的胫骨运动中，这些神经元是如何在不同的胫骨运动中被招募的，每一种运动都具有不同的行为功能；(Ii)这些神经元是不同的神经通路参与的，例如局部与节段间的激活，或感觉激活与运动控制区的下行命令。(Iii)在蛾类中，将研究成虫对同一类神经元的招募，并将其与幼虫进行比较。(Iv)假设在变态过程中，这些神经元的连接性发生了变化，作为运动控制区的食道下神经节参与了这种重组。因此，食道下神经节中可能向DUM/VUM神经元提供输入的神经元将被寻找和鉴定。(V)此外，还将描述支配所有主要脑区的食道下神经节本身的DUM/VUM神经元。

Octopaminergic dorsal or vental unpaired median (DUM or VUM) neurons occur in all insects, and are involved in modulating neuromuscular transmission and in regulationg energy metabolism of their target tissues. They are diffenentially recruited during various motor behaviors although the extract mechanisms of activation are unknown, in particular no presynaptic neurons are known to make direct synaptic contacts with DUM/VUM neurons. By using a compoarative approach between two orthopteran species, the "primitive" New Zealand weta, the African locust, and an American moth, differences in recruitment of octopaminergic neurons and their adaptations to different behavioral constraints will be studied. In particular, the following questions will be adresses: 1i) how are these neurons recruited in wetas and locusts during diffenrent tibial movements each of which has a different behavioral function, (ii) are different neuronal pathways involved in this recruitment, for example local versus intersegmental activation, or sensory activation versus descending command from motor control areas. (iii) In the moth, recruitment of the same class of neurons will be studies in adults and compared to that of larvae. (iv) It is assumed that during metamorphosis the connectivity of these neurons changes, and that the suboesophageal ganglion as a motor control area is involved in this reorganization. Therefore, neurons in the suboesophageal ganglion that may provide inputs to DUM/VUM neurons will be sought and characterized. (v) In addition, DUM/VUM neurons of the suboesophageal ganglion itself that innervate all major brain areas will be characterized.