The antennal motor system of crickets: modulation of muscle contractions by a common inhibitor, DUM neurons, and proctolin

Abstract

In the crickets Gryllus bimaculatus and Gryllus campestris, the two intrinsic antennal muscles in the scape (first antennal segment) control antennal movements in the horizontal plane. Of the 17 excitatory antennal motoneurons, three motoneurons, two fast and one slow, can be stimulated selectively and their effect on muscle contraction, i.e. antennal movement, measured. Simultaneously, either a common inhibitor (CI) neuron or two DUM neurons can be stimulated and the effect on the slow and/or fast muscle contraction measured. The activity of the common inhibitor affected only slow muscle contractions. It decreased contraction rate, increased relaxation rate and suppressed prolonged muscle tension. This effect was blocked by picrotoxin. DUM neuron stimulation affected both slow and fast contractions. It reduced slow and enhanced fast contractions but in only 10% of the experiments could this effect be detected. DUM neuron activity could be mimicked by octopamine application. Proctolin application enhanced both slow and fast contractions but did not increase muscle tension in the absence of motoneuron activity. The results are discussed in relation to the large variability of possible antennal movements during behaviors.