Collaborative Research: Neuronal Control of Animal Movements

合作研究：动物运动的神经元控制

• 批准号: 0615065
• 负责人: Peter Brodfuehrer
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Bryn Mawr College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-09-01 至 2010-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0615065&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Neuronal; Control; Animal

Animals initiate movements either in response to specific stimuli (such as touch, sound or light signals), or as a result of an internal change in state (such as hunger). One important aspect of such voluntary animal movements that has received relatively little attention is their episodic nature, with distinct beginnings and endings. Much is already known about the networks of nerve cells that control rhythmic movements like flying and swimming, but the nervous system components that control the initiation and termination of rhythmic behavior are largely unknown. The experiments funded by this grant are designed to significantly advance the understanding of how nervous systems process information generated by brief sensory stimuli and how they thereby produce episodic locomotion. Experiments will be conducted on isolated central nervous systems of the medicinal leech using two different approaches. One approach is electrophysiological, with experiments to investigate connections among nerve cells that control the initiation and maintenance of swimming movements. The second approach is pharmacological, with studies on the neurohormone serotonin and on other messenger molecules to learn how these substances are involved in converting the quiescent motor system into one that is functionally active. Because there is significant functional similarity between swimming and related locomotory movements in all animals and because the transformation of a system from quiescence to activity and back to quiescence is a feature of all episodic animal movements, insights gained from this research will have a major impact on our understanding of how the nervous system controls animal movements generally. The activities funded by this grant have a broader impact on science by increasing the opportunities for undergraduates, primarily women, to conduct scientific research at Bryn Mawr and at the University of Virginia. Also, experiments conducted in the research laboratory are subsequently incorporated into laboratory exercises for advanced neurobiology courses at both institutions. Finally, training is provided to graduate students in modern electrophysiological recording techniques, data acquisition, and analysis. Results from these experiments are widely disseminated through posters at scientific meetings, including student presentations at local science fairs and scientific meetings; publication in scientific journals; lectures open to the public; and demonstrations on animal behavior at K-12 schools.

动物会响应特定的刺激（例如触摸，声音或光信号）或由于状态内部变化（例如饥饿）而引发运动。这种自愿性动物运动的一个重要方面很少受到关注，它们的发作性质是独特的开始和结局。关于控制节奏运动（如飞行和游泳）的神经细胞网络已经知道了很多，但是控制节奏行为的启动和终止的神经系统成分在很大程度上是未知的。该赠款资助的实验旨在显着促进对短暂感觉刺激产生的神经系统过程信息的理解，以及它们如何产生情节运动。实验将使用两种不同的方法在药用水ech的孤立中枢神经系统上进行。一种方法是电生理学，并进行了研究控制游泳运动引发和维持的神经细胞之间的连接。第二种方法是药理学，研究了神经激素5-羟色胺和其他信使分子的研究，以了解这些物质如何将静态运动系统转化为功能活性的运动系统。因为在所有动物中游泳和相关的运动运动之间都有显着的功能相似性，并且由于系统从静止和静止的转化是所有情节动物运动的特征，因此从这项研究中获得的见解将对我们对我们对神经系统通常控制动物运动的理解产生重大影响。这笔赠款资助的活动对科学产生了更广泛的影响，这增加了本科生（主要是妇女）在布莱恩·莫尔（Bryn Mawr）和弗吉尼亚大学（University of Virginia）进行科学研究的机会。同样，在研究实验室进行的实验随后将其纳入了两个机构的高级神经生物学课程的实验室练习中。最后，为现代电生理记录技术，数据获取和分析的研究生提供了培训。这些实验的结果通过科学会议上的海报广泛传播，包括在当地科学博览会和科学会议上的学生演讲；科学期刊的出版；向公众开放的讲座；以及关于K-12学校动物行为的示范。