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Structure and function of neurons in the complex of the nucleus electrosensorius of the gymnotiform fish Eigenmannia: Detection and processing of electric signals in social communication

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Summary

The complex of the diencephalic nucleus electrosensorius (nE) provides an interface between the electrosensory processing performed by the torus semicircularis and the control of specific behavioral responses. The rostral portion of the nE comprises two subdivisions that differ in the response properties and projection patterns of their neurons. First, the nEb (Fig. 1 B), which contains neurons that are driven almost exclusively by beat patterns generated by the interference of electric organ discharges (EODs) of similar frequencies. Second, the area medial to the nEb, comprising the lateral pretectum (PT) and the nE-acusticolateralis region (nEar, Fig. 1 B-D), which contains neurons excited predominantly by EOD interruptions, signals associated with aggression and courtship. Neurons in the second area commonly receive convergent inputs originating from ampullary and tuberous electroreceptors, which respond to the low-frequency and high-frequency components of EOD interruptions, respectively. Projections of these neurons to hypothalamic areas linked to the pituitary may mediate modulations of a fish's endocrine state that are caused by exposure to EOD interruptions of its mate.

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Abbreviations

a :

axon

ATh :

anterior thalamic nucleus

CCb :

corpus cerebelli

CE :

central nucleus of the inferior lobe

CP :

central posterior thalamic nucleus

Df :

frequency difference between neighbor's EOD and fish's own

DFl :

nucleus diffusus lateralis of the inferior lobe

DFm :

nucleus diffusus medialis of the inferior lobe

DTn :

dorsal tegmental nucleus

EOD :

electric organ discharge

G :

glomerular nucleus

Hc :

caudal hypothalamus

Hd :

dorsal hypothalamus

Hl :

lateral hypothalamus

Hv :

ventral hypothalamus

JAR :

jamming avoidance response

LL :

lateral lemniscus

MGT :

magnocellular tegmental nucleus

MLF :

medial longitudinal fasciculus

nB :

nucleus at the base of the optic tract

nE :

nucleus electrosensorius

nEar :

nucleus electrosensorius-acusticolateral region

nEb :

nucleus electrosensorius-beat related area

nE↑:

nucleus electrosensorius, area causing rise of EOD frequency

nE↓:

nucleus electrosensorius, area causing fall of EOD frequency

nLT :

nucleus tuberis lateralis

nLV :

nucleus lateralis valvulae

PC :

posterior commissure

Pd :

nucleus praeeminentialis, pars dorsalis

PeG :

periglomerular complex

PG :

preglomerular nucleus

PLm :

medial division of the perilemniscal nucleus

Pn :

pacemaker nucleus

PPn :

prepacemaker nucleus

PT :

pretectal nucleus

PTh :

prethalamic nucleus

R :

red nucleus

Sc :

suprachiasmatic nucleus

SE :

nucleus subelectrosensorius

TAd :

nucleus tuberis anterior-dorsal subdivision

TAv :

nucleus tuberis anterior-ventral subdivision

TeO :

optic tectum

TL :

torus longitudinalis

TSd :

dorsal (electrosensory) torus semicircularis

TSv :

ventral (mechanosensory and auditory) torus semicircularis

tTB :

tecto-bulbar tract

VCb :

cerebellar valvula

VP :

valvular peduncle

VPn :

nucleus of the valvular peduncle

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Author notes

  1. Clifford H. Keller

    Present address: Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, 97403, Eugene, OR, USA

  2. Masashi Kawasaki

    Present address: Department of Biology, Gilmer Hall, University of Virginia, 22901, Charlottesville, VA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurobiology Unit, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California at San Diego, 92093-0202, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Walter Heiligenberg, Clifford H. Keller, Walter Metzner & Masashi Kawasaki

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  1. Walter Heiligenberg
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  2. Clifford H. Keller
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  4. Masashi Kawasaki
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Heiligenberg, W., Keller, C.H., Metzner, W. et al. Structure and function of neurons in the complex of the nucleus electrosensorius of the gymnotiform fish Eigenmannia: Detection and processing of electric signals in social communication. J Comp Physiol A 169, 151–164 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00215862

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