ACOUSTIC BEHAVIOR--NEURAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BASES

这个项目的一个目标是研究神经行为机制。 声学通信，特别是物种特有的声学信号 来自潜在的配偶或潜在的捕食者。因为这位亲戚 其听觉行为和中枢神经通路的简单性 (与脊椎动物相比)，板球是一种理想的 听觉信息自适应处理的研究 行为行为。我们的研究针对以下几个问题：(1) 单个神经元控制下的听觉行为，如特征 探测器还是指挥神经元？(2)动物的行为如何 语境决定听觉神经元在其中扮演的特定角色 影响特定的听觉行为？(3)听觉系统如何 有组织地识别物种特定交配的时间模式 叫声，还是识别发声的捕食者(如蝙蝠)的狩猎叫声？ (4)求爱歌曲在交配行为中的作用是什么？ 它们是在听觉系统中处理的吗？我们希望实现一种蜂窝 可与前人相结合的听觉交流分析 在组织的行为、遗传和进化层面上的研究。 板球听觉系统也是调查的理想选择 发展性问题。例如，听觉系统如何响应 失去一只耳朵吗？听觉剥夺的影响或 去感觉化可以在单一、辨认的层面上进行研究 神经元。1)与其他感觉系统的情况一样，如果听神经 被切断后，其轴突可以再生并恢复功能。2)更多 不同寻常的是，感觉中间神经元树突的代偿性生长 恢复听觉功能。功能恢复是否涉及突触 代偿性树突之间的传入竞争？听觉是不是 传入投射通过增加新的突起支配异位树突投射 终支(以及更多的突触空间)？人类的听觉系统 Cricket提供了一个研究突触可塑性问题的系统 例如树突和轴突的萌发、竞争和再生 通过分析单个的、已识别的神经元，在细胞水平上进行研究。

One goal of this project is to investigate the neurobehavioral mechanisms of acoustic communication, particularly species-specific acoustic signals from potential mates or potential predators. Because of the relative simplicity of its auditory behavior and neural pathways in the CNS (compared to vertebrates), the cricket is an ideal model system for investigating the processing of auditory information into adaptive behavioral acts. Our research is directed at such questions as: (1) is auditory behavior under the control of single neurons, such as feature detectors or command neurons? (2) how does the animals's behavioral context determine the specific role that an auditory neuron plays in influencing particular auditory behaviors? (3) how is the auditory system organized to recognize the temporal pattern of species-specific mating calls, or to recognize the hunting calls of vocal predators (like bats)? (4) what is the role of courtship songs in mating behavior, and how are they processed in the auditory system? We hope to achieve a cellular analysis of auditory communication that can be combined with previous studies at the behavioral, genetic, and evolutionary levels of organization. The cricket auditory system is also ideal for the investigation of developmental questions. For example, how does the auditory system respond to the loss of an ear? The effects of auditory deprivation or deafferentiation can be studied in the level of single, identified neurons. 1) As in the case in other sensory systems, if the auditory nerve is sectioned, its axons can regenerate and restore function. 2) More unusually, compensatory growth in dendrites of sensory interneurons also restores auditory function. Does functional recovery involve synaptic competition for afferents among compensatory dendrites? Does the auditory afferent projection innervate ectopic dendritic projections by adding new terminal branches (and more synaptic space)? The auditory system of the cricket provides a system in which to study issues of synaptic plasticity such as dendritic and axonal sprouting, competition, and regeneration, at a cellular level through the analysis of single, identified neurons.