title: Cytochalasin D blocks touch learning in Octopus vulgaris.
abstract: Supraoesophageal lobes in 11 specimens of Octopus vulgaris were split sagitally into two symmetrical halves and isolated by a thin inert mica barrier. Each half-brain is known to control the four arms on its side of the animal and to be able to learn opposite touch paradigms mediated by its four arms. Powdered cytochalasin D was applied directly in each animal to the subfrontal lobe of one half-brain, and both half-brains were then trained to opposite touch paradigms. The cytochalasin treated half-brains could not learn either touch paradigm whereas the control half-brains learned readily. In another set of four animals, cytochalasin D was similarly applied but to the vertical lobe of one half-brain. In this case all the half-brains learned the touch paradigm.
authors.affiliation: Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, North Carolina 28516.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Robertson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015638:Cytochalasin D / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000294:innervation; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D049831:Octopodiformes; D014110:Touch
chemical_list: D015638:Cytochalasin D