title: Cholinergic synaptic transmission in insect mushroom bodies in vitro.
abstract: The mushroom body of the bee brain is an important site for learning and memory. Here we investigate synaptic transmission in the mushroom body using extracellular recording techniques in a whole bee brain in vitro preparation. The postsynaptic response showed attenuation by cadmium and paired-pulse facilitation, similar to in vivo findings. This confirms the viability of the in vitro preparation and supports the isolated whole bee brain as a useful model of the in vivo preparation. Bath application of the acetylcholine receptor antagonists, D-tubocurarine and alpha-bungarotoxin attenuated the postsynaptic response by 61 and 62% of control, respectively. The glutamate receptor antagonists, (+)-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid and 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione, had no effect. The invertebrate monoamine and neuromodulator, octopamine, transiently increased the postsynaptic response by 130% of control. These results suggest that synaptic transmission of the olfactory input pathway in the mushroom body is 1) mediated primarily by acetylcholine and 2) modulated by octopamine.
authors.affiliation: Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oleskevich
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003712:Dendrites / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000502:physiology; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D000109:Acetylcholine