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SUPPRESSION OF PHOTOTROPIC CIRCUS MOVEMENTS OF LIMAX BY STRYCHNINE.
1Zoological Laboratory, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, and the Carnegie Institution of Washington.
The Journal of General Physiology
|October 30, 2009
Summary
Strychnine injection suppresses phototropic circus movements in Limax maximus slugs by affecting central nervous system competition between movement and turning impulses. This reveals key mechanisms of slug orientation.
Area of Science:
- Neurobiology
- Animal Behavior
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Slugs exhibit phototropic circus movements, a complex orientation behavior.
- Strychnine is known to affect central nervous system (CNS) activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of strychnine on phototropic circus movements in Limax maximus.
- To elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying orientation during these movements.
Main Methods:
- Injection of strychnine into Limax maximus slugs.
- Observation and analysis of changes in phototropic circus movements and creeping activity.
- Assessment of strychnine's CNS effects in slugs.
Main Results:
- Strychnine injection abolished phototropic circus movements.
- Creeping activity remained largely unaffected.
- Strychnine induced characteristic central nervous effects in Limax maximus.
Conclusions:
- The results suggest that strychnine's action on the CNS, not photoreceptors, is responsible for suppressing circus movements.
- Orientation during circus movements involves central competition between impulses for locomotion and turning.
- This study provides insight into the neural basis of orientation behaviors in gastropods.
