Symposium
Neural Perspectives on Behaviour
Chair
Martin Klappenbach
IFIBYNE-UBA-CONICET
Co-Chair
Esteban J. Beckwith
IBioBA-MPSP - CONICET
We propose an engaging symposium that delves into the intricate realm of neuronal processing in animal behavior. This symposium aims to showcase cutting-edge research and foster interdisciplinary discussions among esteemed researchers dedicated to exploring the mysteries of neuronal processing in animal behavior. The symposium will feature four distinguished researchers who have made remarkable strides in the field of animal neuroscience. Through their expertise and dedication, they will present their latest findings, providing valuable insights into various aspects of neuronal processing in animal behavior. Topics covered will include decision-making processes, individuality, circadian rhythms, social behaviours, and the genetic basis of behavior. By encompassing a diverse range of subjects, this symposium will offer attendees a comprehensive understanding of the latest advancements in the field. Moreover, by incorporating a variety of animal models, the symposium will highlight how different species reveal distinct evolutionary strategies that shape behaviour. This symposium holds relevance not only for neuroethologists and neurobiologists but also for researchers interested in broader neuroscience themes. Attendees will engage in stimulating discussions, exchange ideas, and potentially foster collaborations that bridge different areas of neuroscience. We firmly believe that this symposium will make a significant contribution to the annual meeting of the Sociedad Argentina de Neurociencias, providing a platform to gain profound insights into neuronal processing in animal behavior and unravel the intricate complexities of their neural networks.
Silke Sachse
University of Würzburg
From brain to behavior: the neural basis of insect olfaction
Most animals rely on their sense of smell to guide behaviors that are essential for survival and reproduction. However, the vast array of odor stimuli presents a significant challenge to neural coding. Using genetically tractable models such as Drosophila melanogaster and the migratory locust (Locusta migratoria), we investigate how insect olfactory circuits encode, process, and assign behavioral value to odors. Using genetic tools, neurophysiological imaging, and behavioral analyses, we dissect the functional organization of olfactory circuits and their contribution to odor coding and odor-guided behavior. Our work demonstrates that olfactory glomeruli - the anatomical units of the first olfactory center, the antennal lobe - have a unique neuronal composition linked to their functional relevance. We also show that higher brain centers decode the behavioral value of an odor and that spatial activity patterns, such as the ring-shaped chemotopic map in the locust antennal lobe, encode ecologically meaningful information. Ongoing studies address circuit plasticity, state-dependent modulation as well as multimodal integration and learning. The talk will summarize our recent insights into the coding strategies and plastic components of the olfactory circuitry of insects
Angeles Salles
University of Illinois, Chicago
Neuroethology of Social Behavior and Acoustic Communication in Bats
Bats are highly social animals with complex vocal communication systems supporting navigation and social interactions. My research investigates the neural and behavioral mechanisms underlying social cohesion, auditory perception, and communication in bats. From a neuroethological perspective, integrating behavioral ecology with neural systems approaches, my lab explores fundamental questions such as how bats recognize roost mates and how this may influence roost fidelity, how hierarchical social structures form, and how context shapes auditory perception of communication sounds. To explore these questions, we employ a multidisciplinary approach, combining behavioral assays, electrophysiological recordings, neuroanatomical mapping, and computational modeling, spanning both controlled laboratory settings and field environments. In this talk, I will provide an overview of our recent advances and strategies to answer these questions and discuss how our work provides key insights into the neural mechanisms of auditory communication in mammals.
John Ewer
Universidad de Valparaíso
Control of Drosophila behavior by neuropeptides and the circadian clock
We use the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, to study how neuropeptides and the circadian clock regulate animal behavior. Our main focus is ecdysis, the vital behavior used by arthropods to shed their old cuticle at the end of the molt. Ecdysis is controlled by a number of neuropeptides and hormones, which regulate the precise order and timing of the different ecdysial behavioral subroutines. This system provides a useful model to understand how peptide hormones control complex responses, such as satiation, pair bond formation, etc. In addition, the last ecdysis (adult emergence, or eclosion) is regulated by the circadian clock, which restricts emergence to a specific window of time. The circadian control of emergence depends on the activity of two coupled circadian clocks: the central circadian pacemaker in the brain and a peripheral clock located in the prothoracic gland (PG), an endocrine gland whose only known function is the production of the molting hormone, ecdysone. This system provides an opportunity to study how circadian clocks are coupled and how they impose a daily periodicity to a behavior.
Romina B. Barrozo
Laboratorio Neuroetología de Insectos, IBBEA, UBA-CONICET. DBBE - FCEN - UBA
Decoding feeding decisions in a blood-sucking insect
How do blood-sucking insects decide whether to feed? For hematophagous insects, such as kissing bugs and mosquitoes, the decision to bite and ingest blood is a critical behavioral step that determines both feeding success and pathogen transmission. This process emerges from the integration of multiple sensory cues that signal whether a potential food source is suitable or potentially harmful. Appetitive signals promote feeding acceptance, whereas aversive cues discourage contact, biting, or ingestion. Understanding how these opposing signals are detected and integrated is therefore central to understanding the neurobiology of hematophagy.Our work investigates the dynamic interactions between appetitive and aversive peripheral pathways that ultimately lead to acceptance or avoidance of feeding. In particular, we study the sensory mechanisms involved in the detection of phagostimulatory and deterrent cues, identifying pathways associated with feeding promotion and others linked to irritation and evaluation of the meal quality.By characterizing these peripheral pathways across behavioral, sensory, and physiological levels, we provide a mechanistic framework for understanding how blood-sucking insects evaluate feeding opportunities and translate sensory information into behavioral decisions. Decoding these sensory mechanisms may reveal novel targets for strategies that interfere with vector feeding and reduce disease transmission.