The Role of Certain Optomotor Reactions in Regulating Stability in the Rolling Plane During Flight in the Desert Locust, Schistocerca Gregaria

1965 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 385-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
LESLEY J. GOODMAN
Keyword(s):  
Visual Field ◽  
Schistocerca Gregaria ◽  
Longitudinal Axis ◽  
Rolling Plane ◽  
The Body ◽  
Head Movements ◽  
Light Reaction ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Control Stability

1. Locusts given freedom of movement in the rolling plane show complete lack of stability when flown in darkness, continually rotating about their longitudinal axis. 2. Stability in this plane appears to be controlled by two optomotor reactions, a dorsal light reaction and a reaction to the position of the horizon in the visual field. 3. Locusts behave as if there is a spatial representation of the visual area in the central nervous system and always turn so that the horizon is horizontal and the brighter half of the visual field uppermost in this representation. 4. The optomotor reactions control stability in the rolling plane indirectly through head movements, the head being orientated first and the body aligned with it by differential wing movements. 5. Relative head and body movements appear to be registered by two sets of proprioceptors, hair plates borne on the first cervical sclerites where they articulate with the head and a row of tactile hairs on the under edge of the prothorax. 6. The reactions described are operative in light intensities down to 0.1 ft.-lamberts, approximately comparable to tropical twilight conditions.

The Role of Reafference in Recalibration of Limb Movement Control and Locomotion

1997 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 303-310
Author(s):  
James R. Lackner ◽  
Paul DiZio
Keyword(s):  
Movement Control ◽  
Mirror Image ◽  
The Body ◽  
Head Movements ◽  
Reaching Movements ◽  
Optomotor Response ◽  
Coriolis Forces ◽  
Effects Of Rotation ◽  
Centripetal Forces

The reafference model has frequently been used to explain spatial constancy during eye and head movements. We have found that its basic concepts also form part of the information processing necessary for the control and recalibration of reaching movements. Reaching was studied in a novel force environment–a rotating room that creates centripetal forces of the type that could someday substitute for gravity in space flight, and Coriolis forces which are side effects of rotation. We found that inertial, noncontacting Coriolis forces deviate the path and endpoint of reaching movements, a finding that shows the inadequacy of equilibrium position models of movement control. Repeated movements in the rotating room quickly lead to normal movement patterns and to a failure to perceive the perturbing forces. The first movements made after rotation stops, without Coriolis forces present, show mirror-image deviations and evoke perception of a perturbing force even though none is present. These patterns of sensorimotor control and adaptation can largely be explained on the basis of comparisons of efference copy, reafferent muscle spindle, and cutaneous mechanoreceptor signals. We also describe experiments on human iocomotion using an apparatus similar to that which Mittelstaedt used to study the optomotor response of the Eristalis fly. These results show that the reafference principle relates as well to the perception of the forces acting on and exerted by the body during voluntary locomotion.

A Binocular Pinhole Device for Visual Field Constraint during Reading

1977 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 677-678
Author(s):  
David Piggins ◽  
Robert Macerollo
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Visual Field ◽  
Binocular Vision ◽  
Peripheral Vision ◽  
Head Movements

The Binocular Pinhole Device requires binocular vision, without constraints on head-movements, for viewing a group of letters at one fixation. It is simple and adjustable for individual differences. The role of peripheral vision can be explored in experimental settings.

scholarly journals NGF, Brain and Behavioral Plasticity

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandra Berry ◽  
Erika Bindocci ◽  
Enrico Alleva
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Behavioral Plasticity ◽  
The Body ◽  
Trophic Factor ◽  
Brain Growth ◽  
Male Mice ◽  
Psychosocial Stressor ◽  
The Central Nervous System

Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) was initially studied for its role as a key player in the regulation of peripheral innervations. However, the successive finding of its release in the bloodstream of male mice following aggressive encounters and its presence in the central nervous system led to the hypothesis that variations in brain NGF levels, caused by psychosocial stressor, and the related alterations in emotionality, could be functional to the development of proper strategies to cope with the stressor itself and thus to survive. Years later this vision is still relevant, and the body of evidence on the role of NGF has been strengthened and expanded from trophic factor playing a role in brain growth and differentiation to a much more complex messenger, involved in psychoneuroendocrine plasticity.

scholarly journals What goes up must come down Biomechanical impact analysis of jumping locusts

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon V. Reichel ◽  
Susanna Labisch ◽  
Jan-Henning Dirks
Keyword(s):  
Impact Analysis ◽  
Schistocerca Gregaria ◽  
Impact Damage ◽  
Landing Site ◽  
The Body ◽  
Adhesive Pads ◽  
Degree Of Control ◽  
Free Falling ◽  
The Impact

AbstractMany insects are able to precisely control their jumping movements. Previous studies have shown that many falling insects have some degree of control of their landing-orientation, indicating a possible significant biomechanical role of the exoskeleton in air righting mechanisms. Once in the air, the properties of the actual landing site are almost impossible to predict. Falling insects thus have to cope mostly with the situation at impact. What exactly happens at the impact? Do locusts actively ‘prepare for landing’ while falling, or do they just ‘crash’ into the substrate?Detailed impact analyses of free falling Schistocerca gregaria locusts show that most insects typically crashed onto the substrate. There was no notable impact-reducing behaviour (protrusion of legs, etc.). Independent of dropping angle, both warm and cooled locusts mostly fell onto head and thorax first. Our results also show that alive warm locusts fell significantly faster than inactive or dead locusts. This indicates a possible tradeoff between active control vs. reduced speed. Looking at the morphology of the head-thorax connection in locusts, we propose that the anterior margin of the pronotum might function as a ‘toby collar’ structure, reducing the risk of impact damage to the neck joint. Interestingly, at impact alive insects also tended to perform a bending movement of the body.This biomechanical adaptation might reduce the rebound and shorten the time to recover. The adhesive pads also play an important role to reduce the time to recover by anchoring the insect to the substrate.

scholarly journals Nervous System and Tissue Polarity Dynamically Adapt to New Morphologies in Planaria

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna Bischof ◽  
Margot E. Day ◽  
Kelsie A. Miller ◽  
Joshua LaPalme ◽  
Michael Levin
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Planar Cell Polarity ◽  
Tissue Level ◽  
The Body ◽  
Tissue Polarity ◽  
Intact Brain ◽  
Radiation Induced ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Primary Axis

AbstractThe coordination of tissue-level polarity with organism-level polarity is crucial in development, disease, and regeneration. Exploiting the flexibility of the body plan in regenerating planarians, we used mirror duplication of the primary axis to show how established tissue-level polarity adapts to new organism-level polarity. Tracking of cilia-driven flow to characterize planar cell polarity of the epithelium revealed a remarkable reorientation of tissue polarity in double-headed planarians. This reorientation is driven by signals produced by the intact brain and is not hampered by radiation-induced removal of stem cells. The nervous system itself adapts its polarity to match the new organismal anatomy in these animals as revealed by distinct regenerative outcomes driven by polarized nerve transport. Thus, signals from the central nervous system can dynamically control and re-orient tissue-level polarity to match the organism-level anatomical configuration, illustrating a novel role of the nervous system in the regulation of patterning.

scholarly journals Role of hydrogen sulfide and polysulfides in neurological diseases: focus on protein S-Persulfidation

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hai-Jian Sun ◽  
Zhi-Yuan Wu ◽  
Xiao-Wei Nie ◽  
Jin-Song Bian
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Sulfide ◽  
Protein Modification ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Protein S ◽  
The Body ◽  
Memory Decline ◽  
Target Proteins ◽  
Therapeutic Development ◽  
The Central Nervous System

: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and hydrogen polysulfides are recognized as important signaling molecules that are generated physiologically in the body, including the central nervous system (CNS). Studies have shown that these two molecules are involved in cytoprotection against oxidative stress and inflammatory response. In the brain system, H2S and polysulfides exert multiple functions in both health and diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), memory decline, and glioma. Mechanistically, S-Persulfidation (also known as S-sulfuration or S-sulfhydration) of target proteins is believed to be a fundamental mechanism that underlies H2S-regulated signaling pathways. Cysteine S-Persulfidation is an important paradigm of post-translational protein modification in the process of H2S signaling. This model is established as a critical redox mechanism to regulate numerous biological functions, especially in H2S-mediated neuroprotection and neurogenesis. Although the current research of S-Persulfidation is still in its infancy, accumulative evidence suggests that protein S-Persulfidation may share similar characteristics with protein S-nitrosylation. In this review, we will provide a comprehensive insight into the S-Persulfidation biology of H2S and polysulfides in neurological ailments and presume potential avenues for therapeutic development in these disorders based on S-Persulfidation of target proteins.

Visual Scanning in the Desert Locust Schistocerca Gregaria Forskål

1959 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 512-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. K. WALLACE
Keyword(s):  
Visual Field ◽  
Opposite Direction ◽  
Schistocerca Gregaria ◽  
Distance Estimation ◽  
The Body ◽  
Desert Locust ◽  
Visual Scanning

1. This paper describes a lateral swaying movement performed by desert locust nymphs. This movement is called ‘peering’. 2. The angle through which the body moves is influenced by the position of objects in the visual field, showing that the movement is related to vision. 3. When given a choice of two objects at different distances the nymphs show a preference for the nearer one. The estimation of the relative distances of the two objects is not achieved by a binocular method nor is it based on the angle subtended by the objects. 4. An experiment is described in which an object is moved while the insect is peering. If the object is moved in the opposite direction to the insect's motion the insect jumps short of the object. This seems to support the hypothesis that one of the functions of peering is to estimate distance by the extent of the movement over the retina of an object's image. 5. This method of distance estimation is discussed with relation to the binocular method. 6. It is suggested that in some cases the peering observed may represent a preliminary scanning of the visual field and may provide information about the finer details of the field.

scholarly journals Oligodendrocyte Bioenergetics in Health and Disease

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 334-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren Rosko ◽  
Victoria N. Smith ◽  
Reiji Yamazaki ◽  
Jeffrey K. Huang
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
High Energy ◽  
The Body ◽  
Metabolic Coupling ◽  
Energy Demands ◽  
Metabolic Role ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
The Impact

The human brain weighs approximately 2% of the body; however, it consumes about 20% of a person’s total energy intake. Cellular bioenergetics in the central nervous system involves a delicate balance between biochemical processes engaged in energy conversion and those responsible for respiration. Neurons have high energy demands, which rely on metabolic coupling with glia, such as with oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. It has been well established that astrocytes recycle and transport glutamine to neurons to make the essential neurotransmitters, glutamate and GABA, as well as shuttle lactate to support energy synthesis in neurons. However, the metabolic role of oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system is less clear. In this review, we discuss the energetic demands of oligodendrocytes in their survival and maturation, the impact of altered oligodendrocyte energetics on disease pathology, and the role of energetic metabolites, taurine, creatine, N-acetylaspartate, and biotin, in regulating oligodendrocyte function.

scholarly journals The role of serotonin and diet in the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Khushi Bruta ◽  
Vanshika ◽  
Kishnoor Bhasin ◽  
Bhawana
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Irritable Bowel Syndrome ◽  
Conventional Treatment ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
The Body ◽  
Dietary Regulation ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Irritable Bowel ◽  
Indian Diet

AbstractSerotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)- a neurotransmitter of both the Enteric Nervous System and the Central Nervous System is synthesized by the hydroxylation of L- tryptophan to 5-hydroxytryptophan.Serotonin has been associated with gut functions like assimilation and absorption, alongside the regulation of particle transport and fluid discharge in the gastrointestinal tract and its deficiency is found to be a prominent factor in the prevalence of gut disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome.For this review, we assessed the conventional treatment methods of common drugs, with the recently accredited treatment options like dietary regulation, exercise, meditation, and acupuncture. Having found that the most commonly used drugs exhibited various side effects like nausea, fatigue, rash, and dizziness, an in-depth evaluation of different Indian dietary patterns and their respective effects on tryptophan levels has been highlighted to formulate an ideal diet for patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). This review seeks to explore the numerous studies conducted to link IBS with the lack of serotonin production in the body, alongside exploring the evidence associating certain foods with raised tryptophan levels to hypothesize a suitable Indian diet.This review, in its essence, stresses the crucial need for further research on the dietary implications of common Indian foods and their FODMAP (Fermented Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, And Polyols) contents, while underscoring the benefits of using unconventional and natural methods for the treatment of tryptophan-related gut disorders.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document