Lesion of a serotonergic modulatory neuron in Aplysia produces a specific defect in feeding behavior.
The serotonergic metacerebral cells (MCCs) of Aplysia were destroyed by intracellular injection of proteolytic enzyme. MCC-lesioned animals showed alterations of biting responses compared to MCC-sham and B-cell-lesioned control animals, as well as to their own preoperative behavior. The alterations of biting responses included a prolongation of the duration of radula protraction and a lengthening of interbite interval. No changes were observed in non-biting feeding responses and in behaviors unrelated to feeding.
D000818:Animals; D001048:Aplysia; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D004435:Eating; D005724:Ganglia / Q000502:physiology; D006815:Hunger / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission
D012701:Serotonin