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The Role of Central Complex Neurons in Prey Detection and Tracking in the Freely Moving Praying Mantis (Tenodera sinensis)

Complex tasks like hunting moving prey in an unpredictable environment require high levels of motor and sensory integration. An animal needs to detect and track suitable prey objects, measure their distance and orientation relative to its own position, and finally produce the correct motor output to...

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Autores principales: Wosnitza, Anne, Martin, Joshua P., Pollack, Alan J., Svenson, Gavin J., Ritzmann, Roy E.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9234402/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35769200
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fncir.2022.893004
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author Wosnitza, Anne
Martin, Joshua P.
Pollack, Alan J.
Svenson, Gavin J.
Ritzmann, Roy E.
author_facet Wosnitza, Anne
Martin, Joshua P.
Pollack, Alan J.
Svenson, Gavin J.
Ritzmann, Roy E.
author_sort Wosnitza, Anne
collection PubMed
description Complex tasks like hunting moving prey in an unpredictable environment require high levels of motor and sensory integration. An animal needs to detect and track suitable prey objects, measure their distance and orientation relative to its own position, and finally produce the correct motor output to approach and capture the prey. In the insect brain, the central complex (CX) is one target area where integration is likely to take place. In this study, we performed extracellular multi-unit recordings on the CX of freely hunting praying mantises (Tenodera sinensis). Initially, we recorded the neural activity of freely moving mantises as they hunted live prey. The recordings showed activity in cells that either reflected the mantis's own movements or the actions of a prey individual, which the mantises focused on. In the latter case, the activity increased as the prey moved and decreased when it stopped. Interestingly, cells ignored the movement of the other prey than the one to which the mantis attended. To obtain quantitative data, we generated simulated prey targets presented on an LCD screen positioned below the clear floor of the arena. The simulated target oscillated back and forth at various angles and distances. We identified populations of cells whose activity patterns were strongly linked to the appearance, movement, and relative position of the virtual prey. We refer to these as sensory responses. We also found cells whose activity preceded orientation movement toward the prey. We call these motor responses. Some cells showed both sensory and motor properties. Stimulation through tetrodes in some of the preparations could also generate similar movements. These results suggest the crucial importance of the CX to prey-capture behavior in predatory insects like the praying mantis and, hence, further emphasize its role in behaviorally and ecologically relevant contexts.
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spelling pubmed-92344022022-06-28 The Role of Central Complex Neurons in Prey Detection and Tracking in the Freely Moving Praying Mantis (Tenodera sinensis) Wosnitza, Anne Martin, Joshua P. Pollack, Alan J. Svenson, Gavin J. Ritzmann, Roy E. Front Neural Circuits Neuroscience Complex tasks like hunting moving prey in an unpredictable environment require high levels of motor and sensory integration. An animal needs to detect and track suitable prey objects, measure their distance and orientation relative to its own position, and finally produce the correct motor output to approach and capture the prey. In the insect brain, the central complex (CX) is one target area where integration is likely to take place. In this study, we performed extracellular multi-unit recordings on the CX of freely hunting praying mantises (Tenodera sinensis). Initially, we recorded the neural activity of freely moving mantises as they hunted live prey. The recordings showed activity in cells that either reflected the mantis's own movements or the actions of a prey individual, which the mantises focused on. In the latter case, the activity increased as the prey moved and decreased when it stopped. Interestingly, cells ignored the movement of the other prey than the one to which the mantis attended. To obtain quantitative data, we generated simulated prey targets presented on an LCD screen positioned below the clear floor of the arena. The simulated target oscillated back and forth at various angles and distances. We identified populations of cells whose activity patterns were strongly linked to the appearance, movement, and relative position of the virtual prey. We refer to these as sensory responses. We also found cells whose activity preceded orientation movement toward the prey. We call these motor responses. Some cells showed both sensory and motor properties. Stimulation through tetrodes in some of the preparations could also generate similar movements. These results suggest the crucial importance of the CX to prey-capture behavior in predatory insects like the praying mantis and, hence, further emphasize its role in behaviorally and ecologically relevant contexts. Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-06-13 /pmc/articles/PMC9234402/ /pubmed/35769200 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fncir.2022.893004 Text en Copyright © 2022 Wosnitza, Martin, Pollack, Svenson and Ritzmann. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
spellingShingle Neuroscience
Wosnitza, Anne
Martin, Joshua P.
Pollack, Alan J.
Svenson, Gavin J.
Ritzmann, Roy E.
The Role of Central Complex Neurons in Prey Detection and Tracking in the Freely Moving Praying Mantis (Tenodera sinensis)
title The Role of Central Complex Neurons in Prey Detection and Tracking in the Freely Moving Praying Mantis (Tenodera sinensis)
title_full The Role of Central Complex Neurons in Prey Detection and Tracking in the Freely Moving Praying Mantis (Tenodera sinensis)
title_fullStr The Role of Central Complex Neurons in Prey Detection and Tracking in the Freely Moving Praying Mantis (Tenodera sinensis)
title_full_unstemmed The Role of Central Complex Neurons in Prey Detection and Tracking in the Freely Moving Praying Mantis (Tenodera sinensis)
title_short The Role of Central Complex Neurons in Prey Detection and Tracking in the Freely Moving Praying Mantis (Tenodera sinensis)
title_sort role of central complex neurons in prey detection and tracking in the freely moving praying mantis (tenodera sinensis)
topic Neuroscience
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9234402/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35769200
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fncir.2022.893004
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