title: Spontaneous electrical activity recorded from the aphid central nervous system.
abstract: Whilst many classes of insecticides target the insect central nervous system (CNS), their effects in the CNS of pest aphids have not been demonstrated. In this report, we describe an electrophysiological method for recording spontaneous neuronal activity from the giant willow aphid (Tuberolachnus salignus). Using extracellular recording electrodes and two analysis methods (threshold and template search), spontaneous spike activity was shown to exhibit sensitivity to the neuroexcitatory insecticide imidacloprid. This method allows changes in the frequency of action-potentials to be monitored during direct bath exposure to chemical agents, enabling a means of assessing and comparing neurotoxic effects of insecticides in a previously inaccessible superfamily of pest insects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Syngenta Crop Protection, Jealott's Hill Research Station, Bracknell, Berkshire RG42 6EY, UK.
authors.forename: Dan-Thanh T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Melissa J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Blacker
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Goodchild
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001042:Aphids / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods*; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000633:toxicity; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity; D000073943:Neonicotinoids; D009574:Nitro Compounds / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D007093:Imidazoles; D007306:Insecticides; D000073943:Neonicotinoids; D009574:Nitro Compounds; C082359:imidacloprid