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Temporal and structural neural asymmetries in insects
1School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel; Department of Computer Science, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel; Lise Meitner Group Social Behaviour, Max-Planck-Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, Jena 07745, Germany.
Current Opinion in Insect Science
|October 25, 2021
Summary
Neural asymmetries, or differences between the left and right sides of the brain, are common in animals. Insect nervous systems offer a unique model to study these hardwired brain lateralizations and their impact on behavior.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Animal Behavior
- Comparative Biology
Background:
- Neural asymmetries are prevalent across the animal kingdom.
- The insect nervous system provides a simplified yet effective model for studying brain lateralization due to its accessibility.
- Understanding neural asymmetries is key to comprehending nervous system organization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional significance of neural asymmetries in insects.
- To explore the mechanisms underlying hardwired lateralization in the insect nervous system.
- To highlight the role of segregated neural activity in sensory, motor, and cognitive functions.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of insect peripheral and central nervous systems.
- Behavioral studies assessing sensory perception, motor control, and cognition.
- Comparative neuroanatomy and neurophysiology.
Main Results:
- Insects exhibit hardwired neural asymmetries in both peripheral and central nervous system components.
- These asymmetries demonstrably influence sensory processing, motor behaviors, and cognitive tasks.
- Evidence suggests a fundamental tendency for nervous systems to segregate activity between the left and right sides.
Conclusions:
- Insect nervous systems display significant, functional neural asymmetries.
- These lateralizations are integral to diverse biological functions, from perception to cognition.
- The findings support the concept of transient or permanent lateralized specializations as a common principle in nervous system organization.
