Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The functional role of octopaminergic neurons in insect motor behavior

  • Published:
Acta Biologica Hungarica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The role of efferent, octopaminergic dorsal unpaired median (DUM) neurons in insects is examined by recording from them during motor behaviour. This population of neuromodulatory neurons is divided into sub-populations which are specifically activated or inhibited during ongoing motor behavior. These neurons are always activated in parallel to the respective motor circuits, and in addition to their modulatory effects on synaptic transmission may also cause metabolic changes in their target tissues.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Agricola, H., Hertel, W., Penzlin, H. (1988) Octopamine: neurotransmitter, neuromodulator and neu-rohormon. Zool. Jb. Physiol. 92, 1–45.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bacon, J. P., Thompson, K. S. J., Stern, M. (1995) Identified octopaminergic neurons provide an arousal mechanism in the locust brain. J. Neurophysiol. 74, 2739–2743.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Baudoux, S., Burrows, M. (1998) Synaptic activation of efferent neuromodulatory neurones in the locust Schistocerca gregaria. J. Exp. Biol. 201, 3339–3354.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Baudoux, S., Duch, C., Morris, O. T. (1998) Coupling of efferent neuromodulatory neurons to rhythmical leg motor activity in the locust. J. Neurophysiol. 79, 361–370.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Becker, A., Schlöder, P., Steele, J. E., Wegener, G. (1996) The regulation of trehalose metabolism in insects. Experimentia 52, 433–439.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Bicker, G., Menzel, R. (1989) Chemical codes for the control of behaviour in arthropods. Nature 337, 33–39.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Blau, C., Wegener, G. (1994) Metabolic integration in locust flight: the effect of octopamine on fructose 2,6-bisphosphate content of flight muscle in vivo. J. Comp. Physiol. B 164, 11–15.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Blau, C., Wegener, G., Candy, D. J. (1994) The effect of octopamine on the glycolytic activator fructose 2,6-bisphosphate in perfused locust flight muscle. Insect Biochem. Molec. Biol. 24, 677–683.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Braunig, P., Eder, M. (1998) Locust dorsal unpaired median (DUM) neurones directly innervate and modulate hindleg proprioceptors. J. Exp. Biol. 201, 3333–3338.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Burrows, M. (1995) Motor patterns during kicking movements in the locust. J. Comp. Physiol. 176, 289–305.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Burrows, M. (1996) The neurobiology of an insect brain. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  12. Burrows, M., Pflüger, H. J. (1995) Action of locust neuromodulatory neurons is coupled to specific motor patterns. J. Neurophysiol. 74, 347–357.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Campbell, H. R., Thompson, K. J., Siegler, M. V. S. (1995) Neurons of the median neuroblast lineage of the grasshopper: A population study of efferent DUM neurons. J. Comp. Neurol. 358, 541–551.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Duch, C., Pflüger, H.-J. (1999) DUM neuron activity during locust flight: a model system for amine mediated peripheral adjustments to a central motor pattern. J. Comp. Physiol. A, 184, 489–499.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Duch, C., Mentel, T., Pflüger, H.-J. (1999) Distribution and activation of different types of octopaminergic DUM neurons in the locust. J. Comp. Neurol 403, 119–134.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Evans, P. D. (1985) Octopamine. In: Kerkut, G. A., Gilbert, G. (ed.). Comprehensive Insect Physiology Biochemistry Pharmacology. Oxford, Pergamon Press, pp. 499–530.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Evans, P. D., Siegler, M. V. S. (1982) Octopamine mediated relaxation of maintained and catch tension in locust skeletal muscle. J. Physiol. 324, 93–112.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Evans, P. D., O’Shea, M. (1977) An octopaminergic neuron modulates neuromuscular transmission in the locust. Nature 270, 257–259.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Evans, P. D., O’Shea, M. (1978) The identification of an octopaminergic neuron and the modulation of a myogenic rhythm in the locust. J. Exp. Biol. 73, 235–260.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Goosey, M. W., Candy, D. J. (1980) The D-octopamine content of the haemolymph of the locust, Schistocerca americana gregaria and its elevation during flight. Insect Biochem. 10, 393–397.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Goosey, M. W., Candy, D. J. (1982) The release and removal of octopamine by tissues of the locust Schistocerca gregaria. Insect Biochem. 12, 681–685.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Gras, H., Hörner, M., Runge, L., Schurmann, F.-W. (1990) Prothoracic DUM neurons of the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus. Responses to natural stimuli and activity in walking behavior. J. Comp. Physiol. A 166, 901–914.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Hammer, M. (1993) An identified neurone mediates the unconditioned stimulus in associative olfactory learning in honeybees. Nature 366, 59–63.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Heitler, W. J., Burrows, M. (1977) The locust jump. I. The motor programme. J. Exp. Biol 76, 63–84.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Hoyle, G. (1978) The dorsal unpaired median neurons of the locust metathoracic ganglion. J. Neurobiol 9, 43–57.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Hoyle, G., Dagan, D. (1978) Physiological characteristics and reflex activation of DUM (octopaminergic) neurons of the locust metathoracic ganglion. J. Neurobiol 9, 59–79.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Hoyle, G., Dagan, D., Moberly, B., Colquhun, W. (1974) Dorsal unpaired median insect neurons make neurosecretory endings on skeletal muscle. J. exp. Zool 187, 159–165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Johnston, R. M., Levine, R. B. (1996) Crawling motor patterns induced by pilocarpine in isolated larval nerve cords of Manduca sexta. J. Neurophysiol 76, 3178–95.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Johnston, R., Consoulas, Chr., Pflüger, H.-J., Levine, R. B. (1999) Patterned activation of unpaired median neurons during Active crawling in Manduca larvae. J. Exp. Biol. 202, 103–113.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Kalogianni, E., Pflüger, H. J. (1992) The identification of motor and unpaired median neurons innervating the locust oviduct. J. Exp. Biol. 168, 177–198.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Kalogianni, E., Theophilidis, K. (1993) Centrally generated rhythmic activity and modulatory function of the oviductal dorsal unpaired median (DUM) neurons in two orthoptheran species (Callip-tamus sp. and Decticus albifrons). J. Exp. Biol 198, 507–520.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Malumud, J. G., Mizisin, A. P., Josephson, R. K. (1988) The effects of octopamine on contraction kinetics and power output of a locust flight muscle. J. Comp. Physiol A 162, 827–835.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Matheson, T. (1994) Octopamine enhances the response of thoracic but not phasic neurons of a locust proprioreceptor. J. Physiol. 480, 99P.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Orchard, I. (1982) Octopamin in insects: neurotransmitter, neurohormone and neuromodulator. Can. J. Zool 60, 659–669.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Orchard, I., Lange, A. B. (1985) Evidence for octopaminergic modulation of an insect visceral muscle. J. Neurobiol. 16, 171–181.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Orchard, I., Ramirez, J. M., Lange, A. B. (1993) A multifunctional role for octopamine in locust flight. Annu. Rev. Entomol 38, 227–249.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. O’Shea, M., Evans, P. D. (1979) Potentiation of neuromuscular transmission by an octopaminergic neuron in the locust. J. Exp. Biol. 79, 169–190.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Plotnikova, S. N. (1969) Efferent neurons with several axons in the ventral nerve cord of the asian grasshopper Locusta migratoria. J. Evol Biochem. Physiol 5, 276–277.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Pflüger, H.-J., Burrows, M. (1978) Locusts use the same basic motor pattern in swimming as in jumping and kicking. J. Exp. Biol. 75, 81–93.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Pflüger, H.-J., Watson, A. H. D. (1988) The structure and distribution of Dorsal Unpaired Median (DUM) neurones in the abdominal nerve cord of male and female locusts. J. Comp. Neurol 268, 329–345.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Pflüger, H. J., Witten, J. L., Levine, R. B. (1993) Fate of abdominal ventral unpaired median cells during metamorphosis of the hawkmoth, Manduca sexta. J. Comp. Neurol 335, 508–522.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Ramirez, J.-M., Orchard, J. (1990) Octopaminergic modulation of the forewing stretch receptor in the locust Locusta migratoria. J. Exp. Biol 149, 255–279.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Ramirez, J.-M., Pearson, K. G. (1991) Octopamine induces bursting and plateau potentials in insect neurons. Brain Res. 549, 332–337.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Ramirez, J.-M., Pearson, K. G. (1991) Octopaminergic modulation in the flight system of the locust. J. Neurophysiol. 66, 1522–37.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Ramirez, J.-M., Büschges, A., Kittmann, R. (1993) Octopaminergic modulation of the femoral chor-dotonal organ in the stick insect. J. Comp. Physiol. A 173, 209–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Ryckebusch, S., Laurent, G. (1993) Rhythmic patterns evoked in locust leg motor neurons by the muscarinic agonist pilocarpine. J. Neurophysiol. 69, 1583–95.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Ryckebusch, S., Laurent, G. (1994) Interactions between segmental leg central pattern generators during fictive rhythms in the locust. J. Neurophysiol. 72, 2771–85.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Sombati, S., Hoyle, G. (1984) Generation of specific behaviours in a locust by local release into the neuropile of the natural neuromodulator octopamine. J. Neurobiol 15, 481–506.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Sombati, S., Hoyle, G. (1984) Central nervous sensitisation and dishabituation of reflex action in an insect by the neuromodulator octopamine. J. Neurobiol 15, 455–480.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Stevenson, P. A., Kutsch, W. (1988) Demonstration of functional connectivity of the flight motor system in all stages of the locust. J. Comp. Physiol. 162, 247–259.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Stevenson, P. A., Pflüger, H. J., Eckert, M., Rapus, J. (1992) Octopamine immunoreactive cell populations in the locust thoracic-abdominal nervous system. J. Comp. Neurol. 315, 382–397.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Stevenson, P. A., Pflüger, H.-J., Eckert, M., Rapus, J. (1994) Octopamine-like immunoreactive neurones in locust genital abdominal ganglia. Cell Tiss. Res. 275, 299–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Stevenson, P. A., Sporhase-Eichmann, U. (1995) Localisation of octopaminergic neurones in insects. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. Biochem. Mol. Biol. 110, 203–15.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Stevenson, P. A., Meuser, S. (1997) Octopaminergic innervation and modulation of a locust flight steering muscle. J. Exp. Biol 200, 633–642.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Watson, A. H. D. (1984) The dorsal unpaired median neurons of the locust metathoracic ganglion: neuronal structure and diversity, and synaptic integration. J. Neurocytol. 13, 303–327.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Wegener, G. (1996) Flying insects: model systems in exercise physiology. Experimentia 52, 404–412.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Wegener, G., Michel, R., Newsholme, E. A. (1986) Fructose-2,6-bisphosphate as a signal for changing from sugar to lipid oxidation during flight in locusts. FEBS Lett. 201, 129–132.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Whim, M. D., Evans, P. D. (1988) Octopaminergic modulation of flight muscles in the locust. J. Exp. Biol 134, 247–266.

    Google Scholar 

  59. Zeng, H., Loughton, B. G., Jennings, K. R. (1996) Tissue specific transduction systems for octopamine in the locust (Locusta migratoria). J. Insect Physiol 42, 765–769.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. C. Duch

    Present address: Present address: University of Arizona, 611 Gould Simpson Bldg, 85721, Tucson, AZ, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Freie Universitat, Fachbereich Biologie, Chemie, Pharmazie, Germany

    H.-J. Pflüger & C. Duch

  2. Institut fur Biologie, Neurobiologie, Konigin-Luise-Str. 28–30, D-14195, Berlin, Germany

    H.-J. Pflüger & C. Duch

Authors
  1. H.-J. Pflüger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. Duch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to H.-J. Pflüger.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pflüger, HJ., Duch, C. The functional role of octopaminergic neurons in insect motor behavior. BIOLOGIA FUTURA 51, 343–348 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03543232

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03543232

Keywords

Search

Navigation