Presentation Details
| Enhanced multisensory integration in the olfactory bulb of Astyanax mexicanus Evan Lloyd, Anna Koga, Sophia Ford, Douglas Storace. Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA |
Abstract
Here we examined whether the olfactory system of the blind Mexican cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus) exhibits any compensatory adaptations in comparison to the surface morph. Cavefish had larger synaptic input from the olfactory epithelium (OE) to the olfactory bulb (OB), which occurred uniformly across all glomeruli, and increased numbers of dopamine and calretinin-expressing neurons within the OB. Notably, the increase in cavefish calretinin neurons could not be explained as a simple increase in brain volume. Ca2+ imaging of the OB in response to a panel of odors revealed chemotopic patterns that were relatively conserved across both morphs. Surprisingly, we observed that the medial dorsal bulb responded to our water control stimulus in both morphs, which reflects a mechanosensitive response to changes in water flow, but with greater numbers in cavefish. We confirmed that both morphs had olfactory sensory neurons that express the mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo2 in the OE, although cavefish had significantly more neurons expressing Piezo2. Therefore, cavefish exhibit enhanced multisensory integration beginning at the first stage of olfactory sensory processing.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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