scholarly journals Sequence heterochrony led to a gain of functionality in an immature stage of the central complex: A fly–beetle insight

PLoS Biology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. e3000881
Author(s):  
Max S. Farnworth ◽  
Kolja N. Eckermann ◽  
Gregor Bucher

Animal behavior is guided by the brain. Therefore, adaptations of brain structure and function are essential for animal survival, and each species differs in such adaptations. The brain of one individual may even differ between life stages, for instance, as adaptation to the divergent needs of larval and adult life of holometabolous insects. All such differences emerge during development, but the cellular mechanisms behind the diversification of brains between taxa and life stages remain enigmatic. In this study, we investigated holometabolous insects in which larvae differ dramatically from the adult in both behavior and morphology. As a consequence, the central complex, mainly responsible for spatial orientation, is conserved between species at the adult stage but differs between larvae and adults of one species as well as between larvae of different taxa. We used genome editing and established transgenic lines to visualize cells expressing the conserved transcription factor retinal homeobox, thereby marking homologous genetic neural lineages in both the fly Drosophila melanogaster and the beetle Tribolium castaneum. This approach allowed us for the first time to compare the development of homologous neural cells between taxa from embryo to the adult. We found complex heterochronic changes including shifts of developmental events between embryonic and pupal stages. Further, we provide, to our knowledge, the first example of sequence heterochrony in brain development, where certain developmental steps changed their position within the ontogenetic progression. We show that through this sequence heterochrony, an immature developmental stage of the central complex gains functionality in Tribolium larvae.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Max S. Farnworth ◽  
Kolja N. Eckermann ◽  
Gregor Bucher

AbstractAnimal behavior is guided by the brain. Therefore, adaptations of brain structure and function are essential for animal survival, and each species differs in such adaptations. The brain of one individual may even differ between life stages, for instance as adaptation to the divergent needs of larval and adult life of holometabolous insects. All such differences emerge during development but the cellular mechanisms behind the diversification of brains between taxa and life stages remain enigmatic. In this study, we investigated holometabolous insects, where larvae differ dramatically from the adult in both behavior and morphology. As consequence, the central complex, mainly responsible for spatial orientation, is conserved between species at the adult stage, but differs between larvae and adults as well as between larvae of different taxa. We used genome editing and established transgenic lines to visualize cells expressing the conserved transcription factor retinal homeobox, thereby marking homologous genetic neural lineages in both the fly Drosophila melanogaster and the beetle Tribolium castaneum. This approach allowed us for the first time to compare the development of homologous neural cells between taxa from embryo to the adult. We found complex heterochronic changes including shifts of developmental events between embryonic and pupal stages. Further, we provide, to our knowledge, the first example of sequence heterochrony in brain development, where certain developmental steps changed their position within the ontogenetic progression. We show that through this sequence heterochrony, an immature developmental stage of the central complex gains functionality in Tribolium larvae. We discuss the bearing of our results on the evolution of holometabolous larval central complexes by regression to a form present in an ancestor.



2010 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 391-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise C. Park ◽  
Chih-Mao Huang

There is clear evidence that sustained experiences may affect both brain structure and function. Thus, it is quite reasonable to posit that sustained exposure to a set of cultural experiences and behavioral practices will affect neural structure and function. The burgeoning field of cultural psychology has often demonstrated the subtle differences in the way individuals process information—differences that appear to be a product of cultural experiences. We review evidence that the collectivistic and individualistic biases of East Asian and Western cultures, respectively, affect neural structure and function. We conclude that there is limited evidence that cultural experiences affect brain structure and considerably more evidence that neural function is affected by culture, particularly activations in ventral visual cortex—areas associated with perceptual processing.



Author(s):  
Fernando Vidal ◽  
Francisco Ortega

The first chapter proposes to trace the distant roots of the cerebral subject to the late seventeenth century, and particularly to debates about the seat of the soul, the corpuscularian theory of matter, and John Locke’s philosophy of personal identity. In the wake of Locke, eighteenth century authors began to assert that the brain is the only part of the body we need to be ourselves. In the nineteenth century, this form of deterministic essentialism contributed to motivate research into brain structure and function, and in turn confirmed the brain-personhood nexus. Since then, from phrenology to functional neuroimaging, neuroscientific knowledge and representations have constituted a powerful support for prescriptive outlooks on the individual and society. “Neuroascesis,” as we call the business that sells programs of cerebral self-discipline, is a case in point, which this chapter also examines. It appeals to the brain and neuroscience as bases for its self-help recipes to enhance memory and reasoning, fight depression, anxiety and compulsions, improve sexual performance, achieve happiness, and even establish a direct contact with God. Yet underneath the neuro surface lie beliefs and even concrete instructions that can be traced to nineteenth-century hygiene manuals.



Cephalalgia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (13) ◽  
pp. 1635-1660 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Vila-Pueyo ◽  
Jan Hoffmann ◽  
Marcela Romero-Reyes ◽  
Simon Akerman

Objective To review and discuss the literature relevant to the role of brainstem structure and function in headache. Background Primary headache disorders, such as migraine and cluster headache, are considered disorders of the brain. As well as head-related pain, these headache disorders are also associated with other neurological symptoms, such as those related to sensory, homeostatic, autonomic, cognitive and affective processing that can all occur before, during or even after headache has ceased. Many imaging studies demonstrate activation in brainstem areas that appear specifically associated with headache disorders, especially migraine, which may be related to the mechanisms of many of these symptoms. This is further supported by preclinical studies, which demonstrate that modulation of specific brainstem nuclei alters sensory processing relevant to these symptoms, including headache, cranial autonomic responses and homeostatic mechanisms. Review focus This review will specifically focus on the role of brainstem structures relevant to primary headaches, including medullary, pontine, and midbrain, and describe their functional role and how they relate to mechanisms of primary headaches, especially migraine.



2011 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 567-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan E. Rushing ◽  
Daniel D. Langleben

Neuropsychological testing—medical imaging of the brain structure and function—allows the expert to inform the court on the brain structure and function of the forensic examinee. Supported by extensive clinical use, neuropsychological testing and structural imaging in the form of computerized tomography and structural magnetic resonance imaging have achieved general acceptance in court. However, functional imaging such as functional MRI and nuclear medicine techniques, such as positron emission tomography (PET), have faced more admissibility challenges. While functional imaging is becoming an increasingly important tool in assessing neuropsychiatric illness, we surmise that evidentiary challenges are largely related to the phase of trial in which the nuclear study is offered as evidence. This article will review the basic science of functional nuclear imaging including PET and single photon emission computed tomography. We will then review cases where admissibility of these techniques has been challenged and consider whether and how nuclear brain imaging can influence the outcome of the trial.



2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nenad Stojiljković ◽  
Petar Mitić ◽  
Goran Sporiš

Purpose. The aim of this study is to reveal the effects of exercise on the brain structure and function in children, and to analyze methodological approach applied in the researches of this topic. Methods. This literature review provides an overview of important findings in this fast growing research domain. Results from cross-sectional, longitudinal, and interventional studies of the influence of exercise on the brain structure and function of healthy children are reviewed and discussed. Results. The majority of researches are done as cross sectional studies based on the exploring correlation between the level of physical activity and characteristics of brain structure and function. Results of the studies indicate that exercise has positive correlation with improved cognition and beneficial changes to brain function in children. Physically active children have greater white matter integrity in several white matter tracts (corpus callosum, corona radiata, and superior longitudinal fasciculus), have greater volume of gray matter in the hippocampus and basal ganglia than their physically inactive counterparts. The longitudinal/interventional studies also showed that exercise (mainly aerobic) improve cognitive performance of children and causes changes observed on functional magnetic resonance imaging scans (fMRI) located in prefrontal and parietal regions. Conclusion. Previous researches undoubtable proved that exercise can make positive changes of the brain structures in children, specifically the volume of the hippocampus which is the center of learning and memory. Finally the researchers agree that the most influential type of exercise on changes of brain structure and functions are the aerobic exercises. 



Author(s):  
Κατερίνα Μανιαδάκη

The aim of this paper is to provide evidence regarding the necessity and the effectiveness of early intervention for ADHD, by reviewing the most important international early intervention programs for ADHD and by presenting a relevant program implemented in Greece, based on the multi-level approach in developmental psychopathology. These programs are underpinned theoretically by the biopsychosocial epigenetic model which claims that ADHD is not just the outcome of structural and functional neurobiological deficits but results from the dynamic interplay among genetic, neurophysiological, neurochemical, and environmental factors, affecting brain structure and function early in the process of development. Early intervention focuses on those processes that take place very early in development and have a causal relationship with ADHD, with the aim of modifying the underlying neurophysiology and producing generalized long-lasting change. The efficacy of early intervention mainly lies in the fact that it takes place during a period when brain plasticity is great. Plasticity is an intrinsic property of the brain that ensures dynamic modifications at multiple levels of neural organization, allowing the brain to process, encode, and implement new knowledge. Although this neuronal development is to a great extent genetically programmed, it is widely acknowledged that environment also plays a major role through the process of epigenesis by moderating gene expression with subsequent alterations in brain structure and function and allowing even modification of certain deficient structures.





2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denilson Brilliant T. ◽  
Rui Nouchi ◽  
Ryuta Kawashima

Video gaming, the experience of playing electronic games, has shown several benefits for human health. Recently, numerous video gaming studies showed beneficial effects on cognition and the brain. A systematic review of video gaming has been published. However, the previous systematic review has several differences to this systematic review. This systematic review evaluates the beneficial effects of video gaming on neuroplasticity specifically on intervention studies. Literature research was conducted from randomized controlled trials in PubMed and Google Scholar published after 2000. A systematic review was written instead of a meta-analytic review because of variations among participants, video games, and outcomes. Nine scientific articles were eligible for the review. Overall, the eligible articles showed fair quality according to Delphi Criteria. Video gaming affects the brain structure and function depending on how the game is played. The game genres examined were 3D adventure, first-person shooting (FPS), puzzle, rhythm dance, and strategy. The total training durations were 16–90 h. Results of this systematic review demonstrated that video gaming can be beneficial to the brain. However, the beneficial effects vary among video game types.



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