Lecture 5 - Neuroethology Flashcards
What is the goal of neuroethology?
To understand both specialization and diversity of neural control among different species
Outline Franz Hubers work on crickets
He elicited and inhibited complex behaviours and associated motor patterns
Outline Erich von Holsts work in chickens
Evoked complex behavioural patterns, studied interactive structure of behavioural motivations
Name some key advances which are fundamental to neuroethology
Trace neural connections Chemical neuroanatomy by flouro Antero and retrograde transport immunohistochemistry Computational models
What is the Reichardt correlator?
An autocorrelation scheme predicting the algorithm employed by visual systems to detect motion
What are the major questions of neuroethology?
Identification of behaviourally relevant stimulus
Localisation of such a stimulus in space
Neural basis of the motivation underlying a specifc behaviour
Generation of a behavioural pattern
Modulation of a neural circuit mediating a stimulus response
How is modulation of a neural circuit defined?
Endocrine status
What must you bear in mind when choosing a model system in neuroethology?
Behaviour should be simple, robust, readily accesible and ethologically relevant
Behaviour must be exhibited in both natural and lab conditions
Behavioural patterns are clearly defined allowing quantification
Neural network underlying the behaviour should eb relatively simple
The animals should be inexpensive and easily housed in a lab
What is the key difference in model systems between neuroethology and biomedical research?
In neuroethology there is a wide range of taxa studied, to give us the oppotunity to examine evolutionary aspects by employing a comparitive approach
Outline an experiment testing prey and predator recognition in toads
By Peter Ewer in 1960s. Played three different projections, a prey like horizontal rectangle, a non-prey like vertical rectangle and a predator like square. From this they found the neural system used.
Optic tectum = prey catching behaviour
pretectal thalamus = predator like features
What are feature detectors?
Neurons that respond specifically to features of prey or predator like stimuli
How were the effects of male cricket calling songs on females measured?
the female cricket was placed on a trackball and glued to a suspension. The trackball sensed the direction she was moving in. It was found that the females responded best when the tone has the same carrier frquency and syllable rate as the natural songs of males
Outline the jamming avoidance response in eigenmannia
they are constantly sensing objects by emitting small electrical discharges. When they encounter another eigenmannia they must shift their frquencies to avoid jamming. The higher one goes higher and the lower goes lower
What is an ethogram?
A detailed definition of behaviours
How does maternal aggression correspond with OXT?
Aggression correlates with OXT release
