Abstract
Recovery of function after sensory nerves injury involves compensatory plasticity, which can be observed in invertebrates. The aim of the study was the evaluation of compensatory plasticity in the cockroach (Periplaneta americana) nervous system after the sensory nerve injury and assessment of the effect of electromagnetic field exposure (EMF, 50 Hz, 7 mT) and TGF-β on this process. The bioelectrical activities of nerves (pre-and post-synaptic parts of the sensory path) were recorded under wind stimulation of the cerci before and after right cercus ablation and in insects exposed to EMF and treated with TGF-β. Ablation of the right cercus caused an increase of activity of the left presynaptic part of the sensory path. Exposure to EMF and TGF-β induced an increase of activity in both parts of the sensory path. This suggests strengthening effects of EMF and TGF-β on the insect ability to recognize stimuli after one cercus ablation. Data from locomotor tests proved electrophysiological results. The takeover of the function of one cercus by the second one proves the existence of compensatory plasticity in the cockroach escape system, which makes it a good model for studying compensatory plasticity. We recommend further research on EMF as a useful factor in neurorehabilitation.
Highlights
Recovery of function after sensory nerves injury involves compensatory plasticity, which can be observed in invertebrates
The activity of the left cercal nerve (LCN) under the left cercus (LC) stimulation from the left side was 38.95% higher than LCN activity when LC was stimulated from the right side (Fig. 1a) (p = 0.0065)
Right cercus (RC) responded better to stimulations from the right side, and activity of right cercal nerve (RCN) when right cercus (RC) was stimulated from right side was similar to the activity of LCN, when LC was stimulated from the left (Fig. 1a,b)
Summary
Recovery of function after sensory nerves injury involves compensatory plasticity, which can be observed in invertebrates. The aim of the study was the evaluation of compensatory plasticity in the cockroach (Periplaneta americana) nervous system after the sensory nerve injury and assessment of the effect of electromagnetic field exposure (EMF, 50 Hz, 7 mT) and TGF-β on this process. The bioelectrical activities of nerves (pre-and post-synaptic parts of the sensory path) were recorded under wind stimulation of the cerci before and after right cercus ablation and in insects exposed to EMF and treated with TGF-β. Exposure to EMF and TGF-β induced an increase of activity in both parts of the sensory path This suggests strengthening effects of EMF and TGF-β on the insect ability to recognize stimuli after one cercus ablation. The prominent example of a multifunctional agent driving plasticity is the Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β), which modulates cellular survival and growth
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