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Pheromone representation in the ant antennal lobe changes with age
Taylor Hart1, Lindsey E Lopes1, Dominic D Frank1
1Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
Current Biology : CB
|June 14, 2024
Summary
Older ants show heightened sensitivity to alarm pheromones due to changes in antennal lobe (AL) odor coding. This sensory modulation supports age-related behavioral plasticity and division of labor in social insects.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Ecology
- Entomology
Background:
- Age-related neural decline is well-studied, but pre-senescent adult neural function remains less understood.
- Social insect age polyethism involves age-dependent task division, with workers transitioning from nursing to foraging.
- Behavioral changes with age, such as increased aggression and alarm responses, are observed but their neural basis is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-related changes in odor coding within the antennal lobe (AL) of the clonal raider ant (Ooceraea biroi).
- To understand the neural regulation of age-associated behavioral plasticity, specifically concerning alarm pheromone communication.
- To explore how sensory modulation contributes to the division of labor in aging social insects.
Main Methods:
- Observed behavioral responses to alarm pheromones in young and old ants.
- Utilized whole-antennal lobe (AL) calcium imaging to map odor representations.
- Compared neural responses to general odorants and alarm pheromones in different age groups.
Main Results:
- Older ants exhibited more rapid responses to alarm pheromones.
- Alarm pheromone representations were sparse but showed age-dependent changes in specific glomeruli.
- Two glomeruli became sensitized to alarm pheromones and desensitized to general odorants with age.
Conclusions:
- Heightened alarm pheromone response in older ants is mediated by increased sensitivity in specific AL glomeruli.
- Sensory modulation in the antennal lobe plays a crucial role in age-associated behavioral plasticity.
- Findings highlight the importance of neural changes in facilitating division of labor across the lifespan of social insects.
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