Skip to main content
Log in

The tritocerebral commissure giant (TCG): A bimodal interneurone in the locust,Schistocerca gregaria

  • Published:
Journal of comparative physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

A large interneurone responding to stimulation both by wind on the head and to light is described in the locust,Schistocerca gregaria. The neurone has been filled with cobalt and intensified with silver. Its cell body lies in the brain. There is a tuft of fine branches in the tritocerebrum which receives input from the primary sensory projections of the sensory hairs on the head. The neurone descends to the suboesophageal and thoracic ganglia via the tritocerebral commissure and branches extensively in each ganglion on the side contralateral to the projection in the brain. The response of the neurone to both stimulus modes has been recorded at the tritocerebral commissure.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Altman, J.S., Kien, J.: Suboesophageal neurones involved in head movements and feeding in a locust (in preparation)

  • Altman, J.S., Tyrer, N.M.: The locust wing hinge stretch receptors. I. Primary sensory neurones with enormous central arborizations. J. comp. Neurol.172, 409–430 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Altman, J.S.,Tyrer, N.M.: Cobalt filling of selected neurones through the cut ends of their axons. In: Experimental entomology: neuroanatomical techniques (eds.T.A. Miller, N.J. Strausfeld. New York-Heidelberg-Berlin: Springer (in press)

  • Aubele, E., Klemm, N.: Origin, destination and mapping of tritocerebral neurones of locust. Cell Tiss. Res.178, 199–219 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bacon, J.P., Altman, J.S.: A silver intensification method for cobalt-filled neurones in wholemount preparations. Brain Res.138, 359–363 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bacon, J.P., Möhl, B.: Activity of an identifiable interneurone in a flying locust (in preparation)

  • Bacon, J.P., Tyrer, N.M.: The innervation of individual wind hairs in relation to their position on the head, (in press)

  • Burrows, M.: Monosynaptic connexions between wing stretch receptors and flight motoneurons in the locust. J. exp. Biol.62, 189–219 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Camhi, J.M.: Locust aerodynamic setae: sensory and interneuron responses. Am. Zool.7, 127 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Camhi, J.M.: Locust wind receptors: I. Transducer mechanics and sensory response. J. exp. Biol.50, 335–348 (1969a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Camhi, J.M.: Locust wind receptors: II. Interneurons in the cervical connective. J. exp. Biol.50, 349–362 (1969b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Catton, W.T., Chakraborty, A.: Single neurone responses to visual and mechanical stimuli in the thoracic nerve cord of the locust. J. Insect Physiol.15, 245–258 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooler, R.J.: Visual and multimodal interneurones in the ventral nerve cord of the cockroachPeriplaneta americana. J. exp. Biol.59, 675–696 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregory, G.: Neuroanatomy of the mesothoracic ganglion of the cockroach,Periplaneta americana (L). The roots of the peripheral nerves. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. Lond. B267, 421–465 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Guthrie, D.M.: Observations on the nervous system of the flight apparatus in the locustSchistocerca gregaria. Quart. J. Microsc. Sci.105, 183–201 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  • Horridge, G.A.: Multimodal interneurones of locust optic lobe. Nature204, 499–599 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  • Horridge, G.A., Scholes, J.H., Shaw, S., Tunstall, J.: Extracellular recordings from single neurones in the optic lobe and brain of the locust. In: The physiology of the insect nervous system. (eds. J.E. Treherne, J.W.L. Beament). London: Academic Press 1965

    Google Scholar 

  • Olberg, R.M.: Visual and multimodal interneurons in dragonflies. PhD Thesis, University of Washington (1978)

  • O'Shea, M.: Two sites of axonal spike initiation in a bimodal interneuron. Brain Res.96, 93–98 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Parnas, I., Dagan, D.: Functional organisation of giant axons in the central nervous system of insects: new aspects. Advanc. Insect Physiol.8, 95–144 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Pipa, R.L., Cook, E.F., Richards, A.G.: Studies on the hexapod nervous system. II. The histology of the thoracic ganglia of the adult cockroach,Periplaneta americana (L). J. comp. Neurol.113, 401–433 (1959)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rehbein, H.: Auditory neurons in the ventral cord of the locust: morphological and functional properties. J. comp. Physiol.110, 233–250 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rehbein, H., Kalmring, K., Römer, H.: Structure and function of acoustic neurons in the thoracic ventral nerve cord ofLocusta migratoria (Acrididae). J. comp. Physiol.95, 263–280 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rowell, C.H.F.: The orthopteran descending movement detector (DMD) neurones: a characterization and review. Z. vergl. Physiol.73, 167–194 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Smola, U.: Investigation into the topography, mechanics and aerodynamics of the sensory hairs on the head ofLocusta migratoria. Z. vergl. Physiol.67, 382–402 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Svidersky, V.L.: Electrical activity in receptors concerned with maintenance of flight in locusts. Dokl. Akad. Nauk. S.S.S.R.172, 1230–1233 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Svidersky, V.L., Knyaseva, N.I.: Central transformation of impulses from head receptors to wind muscle neurons in the locust. Dokl. Akad. Nauk. S.S.S.R.183, 486–489 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Tyrer, N.M., Altman, J.S.: Motor and sensory flight neurones in a locust demonstrated using cobalt chloride. J. comp. Neurol.157, 117–138 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Tyrer, N.M., Bacon, J.P., Davies, C.A.: The primary sensory projections from the wind sensitive receptors on the locust head. (in press)

  • Varanka, I., Svidersky, V.L.: Functional characteristics of the interneurons of wind-sensitive hair receptors on the head inLocusta migratoria: I. Interneurons with excitatory responses. Comp. Biochem. Physiol.48A, 411–426 (1974a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Varanka, I., Svidersky, V.L.: Functional characteristics of the interneurons of wind-sensitive hair receptors on the head inLocusta migratoria: II. Interneurons with inhibitory responses. Comp. Biochem. Physiol.48A, 427–438 (1974b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Weis-Fogh, T.: An aerodynamic sense organ stimulating and regulating flight in locusts. Nature164, 873–874 (1949)

    Google Scholar 

  • Weis-Fogh. T.: An aerodynamic sense organ in locusts. 8th Int. Congr. Entomol. (Stockholm, 1948), pp. 584–588 (1950)

  • Weis-Fogh, T.: Biology and physics of locust flight. IV. Notes on sensory mechanisms in locust flight. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. Lond. B239, 553–584 (1956)

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, J.L.D.: Anatomical studies on the insect central nervous system: a ground plan of the mid-brain and an introduction to the central complex in the locust,Schistocerca gregaria (Orthoptera). J. Zool.176, 67–86 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, D.M.: The central nervous control of flight in a locust. J. exp. Biol.38, 471–490 (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, D.M., Weis-Fogh, T.: Patterned activity of co-ordinated motor units, studied in flying locusts. J. exp. Biol.39, 643–667 (1962)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

We thank David Carden and John Simpson for advice and construction of the stimulating apparatus, and Jon Banks for his expertise with the Biomac averager. Prof. F. Huber is thanked for his critical reading of the manuscript. Jon Bacon was supported in this work by the Hulme Hall Foundation (University of Manchester).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bacon, J., Tyrer, M. The tritocerebral commissure giant (TCG): A bimodal interneurone in the locust,Schistocerca gregaria . J. Comp. Physiol. 126, 317–325 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00667101

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00667101

Keywords

Navigation