Separate Effects of a Classical Conditioning Procedure on Respiratory Pumping, Swimming, and Inking in Aplysia fasciata

We examined whether swimming and inking, two defensive responses in Aplysia fasciata, are facilitated by a classical conditioning procedure that has been shown to facilitate a third defensive response, respiratory pumping. Training consisted of pairing a head shock (UCS) with a modified seawater (85%, 120%, or pH 7.0 seawater—CSs). Animals were tested by re-exposing them to the same altered seawater 1 hr after the training. For all three altered seawaters, only respiratory pumping is specifically increased by conditioning. Swimming is sensitized by shock, and inking is unaffected by training, indicating that the conditioning procedure is likely to affect a neural site that differentially controls respiratory pumping. Additional observations also indicate that the three defensive responses are differentially regulated. First, different noxious stimuli preferentially elicit different defensive responses. Second, the three defensive responses are differentially affected by shock. Inking is elicited only immediately following shock, whereas swimming and respiratory pumping are facilitated for a period of time following the shock. Third, swimming and respiratory pumping are differentially affected by noxious stimuli that are delivered in open versus closed environments. These data confirm that neural pathways exist that allowAplysia to modulate separately each of the three defensive behaviors that were examined.

Transfer function analysis of ventilatory influence on systemic arterial pressure in the rat

We evaluated the hypothesis that fluctuations in systemic arterial pressure (SAP) are under the influence of the respiratory pumping mechanism subjected to a modulatory action by the autonomic nervous system that is exerted primarily on the heart. Computer-generated broad-band mechanical ventilation (0-3 Hz) was applied to Sprague-Dawley rats that were anesthetized with ketamine and paralyzed with pancuronium. We observed excellent coherence between lung volume and SAP signals at ventilatory rates between 0.5 and 2.5 Hz; this coherence was unaffected by phentolamine, propranolol, atropine, bilateral vagotomy, or ventilatory stroke volume at 2-4 ml. Whereas bilateral vagotomy exerted no discernible effect, propranolol elicited a significant frequency-dependent (0.5-1.5 Hz) reduction in the magnitude of lung volume-SAP and lung volume-pulse pressure transfer functions. There was also a shift toward 0 degree for the phase of the lung volume-SAP transfer function over the same frequency range. We conclude that the high-frequency component (0.8-2.4 Hz) of the SAP spectrum may be generated by the respiratory pumping mechanism. However, the lower-frequency end of this mechanical influence is subjected to additional amplification by the autonomic nervous system, in which the beta-adrenergic system played a major role via its influence on the heart.

Structure of the network mediating siphon-elicited siphon withdrawal in Aplysia

1. The network mediating siphon-elicited siphon withdrawal in Aplysia is a useful model system for cellular studies of simple forms of learning and memory. Here we describe three new cells in this circuit, L33, L34, and L35, and several new connections among the following network neurons: LE, L16, L29, L30, L32, L33, L34, and L35. On the basis of these findings we present an updated diagram of the network. Altogether, 100 neurons have now been identified in the abdominal ganglion that can participate in both siphon-elicited and spontaneous respiratory pumping siphon withdrawals. 2. Two features of the interneuronal population may have important behavioral functions. First, the L29 interneurons make fast and slow excitatory connections onto the LFS cells, which may be important for transforming brief sensory neuron discharges into the long-lasting motor neuron firing that underlies withdrawal duration. Second, inhibitory interneurons are prominent in the network. The specific connectivity of certain of these interneurons is appropriate to block potentially interfering inhibitory inputs from other networks during execution of the behavior. 3. Deliberate searches have so far revealed very few excitatory interneuronal inputs to the network interneurons and motor neurons within the abdominal ganglion. These results, together with intracellular studies by others, are more consistent at present with a relatively dedicated rather than a highly distributed organizational scheme for the siphon-elicited siphon withdrawal circuitry.

CONOPRESSIN G INCREASES BURSTING ACTIVITY IN COMMAND NEURONS MEDIATING RESPIRATORY PUMPING IN APLYSIA CALIFORNICA

Periodic spontaneous gill movements (SGMs) are one of the most obvious of the 21 general action patterns described in the ethogram of Aplysia californica (Leonard and Lukowiak, 1986). SGMs are thought to be a prime component of Aplysia's respiratory cycle (Koester et al. 1974; Byrne and Koester, 1978) and in the intact animal the frequency of SGMs can be modified by changes in the partial pressures of CO2 and O2 of the sea water (Croll, 1985; Levy et al. 1989).