Abstract
Unsignaled stress can have profound effects on animal behavior. While most investigation of stress-effects on behavior follows chronic exposures, less is understood about acute exposures and potential after-effects. We examined walking activity in Drosophila following acute exposure to high temperature or electric shock. Compared to initial walking activity, flies first increase walking with exposure to high temperatures then have a strong reduction in activity. These effects are related to the intensity of the high temperature and number of exposures. The reduction in walking activity following high temperature and electric shock exposures survives context changes and lasts at least five hours. Reduction in the function of the biogenic amines octopamine / tyramine and serotonin both strongly blunt the increase in locomotor activity with high temperature exposure. However, neither set of biogenic amines alter the long lasting depression in walking activity after exposure.
Highlights
Exposure to stressors can have profound effects on animal behavior
Walking activity is presented as total walking distance [mm], binned in 30 s periods (Fig 1A–1D)
We examined the potential function of the biogenic amines octopamine / tyramine and serotonin in regulating the changes in locomotor activity with high temperature exposure
Summary
Exposure to stressors can have profound effects on animal behavior. While effects of chronic exposure to stress on behavior is relatively well established, including studies in invertebrate animals, much less is known about the effects on behavior of acute unsignaled experiences with aversive stimuli. For example in song sparrows, chronic exposure to food scarcity and high predator pressure has a profound effect on reproduction, causing the nestlings and the broods to be smaller [1]. In insects like Drosophila, extended exposure to aversive heat, electric shock, or vibration impacts multiple behaviors including changes in motivated behaviors like learning, locomotion, and courtship [3,4,5,6]. Walking or not walking is intrinsic to grooming and courting, and phases of walking / quiescence reveal circadian
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