Simulation of a small neural network related to programmed behavior in pheromone orientation in male silkmoths
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1
The University of Tokyo, Research Center for Advanced Science, Japan
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2
Ritsumeikan University, Human and Computer Intelligence, Japan
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3
University of Hyogo, Japan
In order to understand the mechanisms controlling animal behavior in natural environments, we simulate a simple neural network in the silkworm moth, Bombyx mori using multicompartment models of individual neurons. Male silkworm moths display a programmed behavioral sequence upon pheromone stimulation consisting of the walking patterns surge, zig-zag and looping. This characteristic behavior has been shown to be generated by two key brain regions, the lateral accessory lobe (LAL) and the ventral protocerebrum (VPC). It has also been suggested that the behavior is controlled by two types of activities, which are descending from the brain to the thoracic ganglions: a phasic excitation and a state-dependent activity similar to the flip-flop device in electronic memory circuits. Flip-flop activities are observed by certain descending interneurons (DNs) belonging to two subsets of DNs, Group-I and -II DNs. One of these DNs, Group-IIA, exhibits flip-flop activity in response to the pheromone stimuli and relays its activity to a neck motor neuron (i.e., cv1-NMN). Because of its wide dendritic arborization in the LAL, Group-IIA is thought to be connected to local interneurons identified in the LAL.
To understand the mechanism of this simple neural network, we first investigated the electrical properties of Group-IIA, cv1-NMN and local interneurons in the LAL electrophysiologically and morphologically. Current clamp and dye injection are applied for revealing the electrical response properties and the morphology of each neuron. After dye injections, neuronal morphology was determined by a confocal laser scanning microscope and reconstructed semi-automatically to provide vector representations necessary for multicompartmental modeling. We are using the simulation environment NEURON to simulate the activities of the neurons in the network.
Membrane properties of each neuron, especially spiking neurons, are described using models that are computationally efficient and capable of producing firing patterns exhibited by real neurons and implemented into the NEURON. In the present model, all compartments of each single neuron have the same active properties. Connectivities between individual neurons were investigated by simultaneous dual recordings and double-labeling. We evaluated the connections electrophysiologically and morphologically. The model of synaptic connection was described as alpha-function. Our model explains some aspects of the network behavior. The extension of this approach to networks of larger scale such as the entire LAL-VPC region of a male silkmoth is discussed.
Conference:
Neuroinformatics 2009, Pilsen, Czechia, 6 Sep - 8 Sep, 2009.
Presentation Type:
Poster Presentation
Topic:
Electrophysiology
Citation:
Takashima
A,
Namiki
S,
Kazawa
T,
Shuichi Haupt
S,
Nishikawa
I,
Ikeno
H and
Kanzaki
R
(2019). Simulation of a small neural network related to programmed behavior in pheromone orientation in male silkmoths.
Front. Neuroinform.
Conference Abstract:
Neuroinformatics 2009.
doi: 10.3389/conf.neuro.11.2009.08.064
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Received:
22 May 2009;
Published Online:
09 May 2019.
*
Correspondence:
Akira Takashima, The University of Tokyo, Research Center for Advanced Science, Tokyo, Japan, takashima@brain.imi.i.u-tokyo.ac.jp