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Ding H, Yan S. Physiological Signatures of Changes in Honeybee's Central Complex During Wing Flapping. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2022; 22:10. [PMID: 36222481 PMCID: PMC9554949 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieac060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Many kinds of locomotion abilities of insects-including flight control, spatial orientation memory, position memory, angle information integration, and polarized light guidance are considered to be related to the central complex. However, evidence was still not sufficient to support those conclusions from the aspect of neural basis. For the locomotion form of wing flapping, little is known about the patterns of changes in brain activity of the central complex during movement. Here, we analyze the changes in honeybees' neuronal population firing activity of central complex and optic lobes with the perspectives of energy and nonlinear changes. Although the specific function of the central complex remains unknown, evidence suggests that its neural activities change remarkably during wing flapping and its delta rhythm is dominative. Together, our data reveal that the firing activity of some of the neuronal populations of the optic lobe shows reduction in complexity during wing flapping. Elucidating the brain activity changes during a flapping period of insects promotes our understanding of the neuro-mechanisms of insect locomotor control, thus can inspire the fine control of insect cyborgs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haojia Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment (SKLT), Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical Systems, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
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Yu L, Zhao J, Ma Z, Wang W, Yan S, Jin Y, Fang Y. Experimental Verification on Steering Flight of Honeybee by Electrical Stimulation. CYBORG AND BIONIC SYSTEMS 2022. [DOI: 10.34133/2022/9895837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The artificial locomotion control strategy is the fundamental technique to ensure the accomplishment of the preset assignments for cyborg insects. The existing research has recognized that the electrical stimulation applied to the optic lobes was an appropriate flight control strategy for small insects represented by honeybee. This control technique has been confirmed to be effective for honeybee flight initiation and cessation. However, its regulation effect on steering locomotion has not been fully verified. Here, we investigated the steering control effect of honeybee by applying electrical stimulation signals with different duty cycles and frequencies on the unilateral optic lobes and screened the stimulus parameters with the highest response successful rate. Moreover, we confirmed the effectiveness of steering control by verifying the presence of rotation torque on tethered honeybees and the body orientation change of crawling honeybees. Our study will contribute some reliable parameter references to the motion control of cyborg honeybees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Yu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Jieliang Zhao
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Zhiyun Ma
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Wenzhong Wang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Shaoze Yan
- Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical Systems, State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yue Jin
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, 100193, China
| | - Yu Fang
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, 100193, China
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Briggs AM, Hambly MG, Simão-Gurge RM, Garrison SM, Khaku Z, Van Susteren G, Lewis EE, Riffell JA, Luckhart S. Anopheles stephensi Feeding, Flight Behavior, and Infection With Malaria Parasites are Altered by Ingestion of Serotonin. Front Physiol 2022; 13:911097. [PMID: 35747317 PMCID: PMC9209645 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.911097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Approximately 3.4 billion people are at risk of malaria, a disease caused by infection with Plasmodium spp. parasites, which are transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes. Individuals with severe falciparum malaria often exhibit changes in circulating blood levels of biogenic amines, including reduced serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and these changes are associated with disease pathology. In insects, 5-HT functions as an important neurotransmitter for many behaviors and biological functions. In Anopheles stephensi, we show that 5-HT is localized to innervation in the head, thorax, and midgut, suggesting a gut-to-brain signaling axis that could support the effects of ingested 5-HT on mosquito biology and behavioral responses. Given the changes in blood levels of 5-HT associated with severe malaria and the key roles that 5-HT plays in insect neurophysiology, we investigated the impact of ingesting blood with healthy levels of 5-HT (1.5 µM) or malaria-associated levels of 5-HT (0.15 µM) on various aspects of A. stephensi biology. In these studies, we provisioned 5-HT and monitored fecundity, lifespan, flight behavior, and blood feeding of A. stephensi. We also assessed the impact of 5-HT ingestion on infection of A. stephensi with the mouse malaria parasite Plasmodium yoelii yoelii 17XNL and the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Our data show that ingestion of 5-HT associated with severe malaria increased mosquito flight velocity and investigation of visual objects in response to host odor (CO2). 5-HT ingestion in blood at levels associated with severe malaria also increased the tendency to take a second blood meal 4 days later in uninfected A. stephensi. In mosquitoes infected with P. y. yoelii 17XNL, feeding tendency was decreased when midgut oocysts were present but increased when sporozoites were present. In addition to these effects, treatment of A. stephensi with 5-HT associated with severe malaria increased infection success with P. y. yoelii 17XNL compared to control, while treatment with healthy levels of 5-HT decreased infection success with P. falciparum. These changes in mosquito behavior and infection success could be used as a basis to manipulate 5-HT signaling in vector mosquitoes for improved control of malaria parasite transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M. Briggs
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Malayna G. Hambly
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Raquel M. Simão-Gurge
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Sarah M. Garrison
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Zainab Khaku
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Grace Van Susteren
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Edwin E. Lewis
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Jeffrey A. Riffell
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Shirley Luckhart
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
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Ding H, Zhao J, Yan S. Behavioral control and changes in brain activity of honeybee during flapping. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e2426. [PMID: 34807528 PMCID: PMC8671781 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Insect cyborg is a kind of novel robot based on insect-machine interface and principles of neurobiology. The key idea is to stimulate live insects by specific stimuli; thus, the flight trajectory of insects could be controlled as anticipated. However, the neuroregulatory mechanism of insect flight has not been elucidated completely at present. METHODS To explore the neuro-mechanism of insect flight behaviors, a series of electrical stimulation was applied on the optic lobes of semi-constrained honeybees. Times of flight initiation, flapping frequency, and duration were recorded by a high-speed camera. In addition, flapping and steering initiation experiments of the cyborg honeybee were verified. Moreover, series of local field potential signals of optic lobes during flapping were collected, pre-processed to remove baseline wander and DC components, then analyzed by power spectrum estimation. RESULTS A quantitative optimization method and optimal stimulation parameters of flight initiation were presented. Stimulation results showed that the flapping duration differed greatly while the flapping frequency varied with little difference among different individuals. Moreover, there was always a fluctuation peak around 20-30 Hz in power spectral density (PSD) curves during flapping, distinguishing from calm state, which indicated some brain activity changes during flapping. CONCLUSIONS Our study presented a range of relatively optimal electrical parameters to initiate honeybee flight behavior. Meanwhile, the regularity of flapping duration and flapping frequency under electrical stimulations with different parameters were given. The feasibility of controlling a honeybee's flight behavior by brain electrical stimulation was verified through the flapping and steering initiation experiment of honeybees under semi-constrained state. PSD fluctuations reflected changes in brain activity during flapping and that those fluctuation characteristics at the specific frequency band could be sensitive determinants to distinguish whether the honeybee was flying or not, which benefits our understanding of honeybee's flapping behavior and furthers the study of honeybee cyborgs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haojia Ding
- Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical Systems, State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jieliang Zhao
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Shaoze Yan
- Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical Systems, State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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Manjila SB, Kuruvilla M, Ferveur JF, Sane SP, Hasan G. Extended Flight Bouts Require Disinhibition from GABAergic Mushroom Body Neurons. Curr Biol 2019; 29:283-293.e5. [PMID: 30612904 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.11.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Insect flight is a complex behavior that requires the integration of multiple sensory inputs with flight motor output. Although previous genetic studies identified central brain monoaminergic neurons that modulate Drosophila flight, neuro-modulatory circuits underlying sustained flight bouts remain unexplored. Certain classes of dopaminergic and octopaminergic neurons that project to the mushroom body, a higher integrating center in the insect brain, are known to modify neuronal output based on contextual cues and thereby organismal behavior. This study focuses on how monoaminergic modulation of mushroom body GABAergic output neurons (MBONs) regulates the duration of flight bouts. Octopaminergic neurons in the sub-esophageal zone stimulate central dopaminergic neurons (protocerebral anterior medial, PAM) that project to GABAergic MBONs. Either inhibition of octopaminergic and dopaminergic neurons or activation of GABAergic MBONs reduces the duration of flight bouts. Moreover, activity in the PAM neurons inhibits the GABAergic MBONs. Our data suggest that disinhibition of the identified neural circuit very likely occurs after flight initiation and is required to maintain the "flight state" when searching for distant sites, possibly related to food sources, mating partners, or a suitable egg-laying site. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steffy B Manjila
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Maria Kuruvilla
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Jean-Francois Ferveur
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, UMR6265 CNRS, UMR1324 INRA, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
| | - Sanjay P Sane
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Gaiti Hasan
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore 560065, India.
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Vo Doan TT, Sato H. Insect-machine Hybrid System: Remote Radio Control of a Freely Flying Beetle (Mercynorrhina torquata). J Vis Exp 2016:54260. [PMID: 27684525 PMCID: PMC5091978 DOI: 10.3791/54260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The rise of radio-enabled digital electronic devices has prompted the use of small wireless neuromuscular recorders and stimulators for studying in-flight insect behavior. This technology enables the development of an insect-machine hybrid system using a living insect platform described in this protocol. Moreover, this protocol presents the system configuration and free flight experimental procedures for evaluating the function of the flight muscles in an untethered insect. For demonstration, we targeted the third axillary sclerite (3Ax) muscle to control and achieve left or right turning of a flying beetle. A thin silver wire electrode was implanted on the 3Ax muscle on each side of the beetle. These were connected to the outputs of a wireless backpack (i.e., a neuromuscular electrical stimulator) mounted on the pronotum of the beetle. The muscle was stimulated in free flight by alternating the stimulation side (left or right) or varying the stimulation frequency. The beetle turned to the ipsilateral side when the muscle was stimulated and exhibited a graded response to an increasing frequency. The implantation process and volume calibration of the 3 dimensional motion capture camera system need to be carried out with care to avoid damaging the muscle and losing track of the marker, respectively. This method is highly beneficial to study insect flight, as it helps to reveal the functions of the flight muscle of interest in free flight.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Thang Vo Doan
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University;
| | - Hirotaka Sato
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University;
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Cao F, Zhang C, Choo HY, Sato H. Insect-computer hybrid legged robot with user-adjustable speed, step length and walking gait. J R Soc Interface 2016; 13:20160060. [PMID: 27030043 PMCID: PMC4843679 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2016.0060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Accepted: 03/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We have constructed an insect-computer hybrid legged robot using a living beetle (Mecynorrhina torquata; Coleoptera). The protraction/retraction and levation/depression motions in both forelegs of the beetle were elicited by electrically stimulating eight corresponding leg muscles via eight pairs of implanted electrodes. To perform a defined walking gait (e.g., gallop), different muscles were individually stimulated in a predefined sequence using a microcontroller. Different walking gaits were performed by reordering the applied stimulation signals (i.e., applying different sequences). By varying the duration of the stimulation sequences, we successfully controlled the step frequency and hence the beetle's walking speed. To the best of our knowledge, this paper presents the first demonstration of living insect locomotion control with a user-adjustable walking gait, step length and walking speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Cao
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Chao Zhang
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Hao Yu Choo
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Hirotaka Sato
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
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