Effects of altered sensory experience on the responsiveness of the locust descending contralateral movement detector neuron

Looming detection by identified visual interneurons during larval development of the locust,Locusta migratoria

“…The difference in responses between dark-and light-reared locusts was much greater than the differences we found between adult and first instar locusts, and an explanation for this large reduction in responsiveness is that responses by photoreceptors are very much reduced in locusts that have been reared in darkness compared with locusts that have been reared normally (Bloom and Atwood, 1980). However, Bloom and Atwood (Bloom and Atwood, 1980) also provided evidence that sensory experience can affect the properties of synaptic connections in the optic lobes. They found that the rate and extent of habituation in responses by the DCMD is much greater than normal in darkreared locusts.…”

“…Although our experiments indicate that visual experience is not needed for the LGMD and DCMD to develop their ability to respond selectively to visual stimuli, it is possible that their responses can be influenced by visual stimuli they experience during larval life. Bloom and Atwood (Bloom and Atwood, 1980) found that in responses by adult DCMDs to disks approaching at 0.2ms −1 , numbers of spikes by locusts that had been reared in darkness were reduced by nearly 90% compared with locusts that had experienced normal light:dark cycles as larvae. The difference in responses between dark-and light-reared locusts was much greater than the differences we found between adult and first instar locusts, and an explanation for this large reduction in responsiveness is that responses by photoreceptors are very much reduced in locusts that have been reared in darkness compared with locusts that have been reared normally (Bloom and Atwood, 1980).…”

“…Bloom and Atwood (Bloom and Atwood, 1980) found that in responses by adult DCMDs to disks approaching at 0.2ms −1 , numbers of spikes by locusts that had been reared in darkness were reduced by nearly 90% compared with locusts that had experienced normal light:dark cycles as larvae. The difference in responses between dark-and light-reared locusts was much greater than the differences we found between adult and first instar locusts, and an explanation for this large reduction in responsiveness is that responses by photoreceptors are very much reduced in locusts that have been reared in darkness compared with locusts that have been reared normally (Bloom and Atwood, 1980). However, Bloom and Atwood (Bloom and Atwood, 1980) also provided evidence that sensory experience can affect the properties of synaptic connections in the optic lobes.…”

“…In adult locusts that have been reared in darkness, responses by the DCMD are very greatly reduced and the responses habituate more rapidly and strongly compared with locusts reared under normal lighting conditions (Bloom and Atwood, 1980). However, in blow flies, it has been shown that at least two lobula plate large tangential neurons do not require visual experience, after the adult hatches from the pupa, to develop their normal selectivity for moving stimuli (Karmeier et al, 2001).…”

The refinement of invertebrate synapses during development

“…A reduction of sensory input produced complementary results in the visual system of the locust. Visual deprivation during locust development results in increased habituation within a visual pathway (Bloom and Atwood, 1980). Both of these studies represent permanent changes in the rate of habituation of a neural circuit during sensory stimulation, as a result of altered early experience.…”