Pheromones linked to sexual behaviors excite the appetitive phase of feeding behavior of Aplysia fasciata. I. Modulation and excitation of appetitive behaviors

S. Blumberg, T. Haran, D. Botzer, A. J. Susswein, T. Teyke

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    8 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    Pheromones presumably secreted by mating conspecifics - as well as homogenates containing tissue that is homologous with the atrial gland - increase the time that Aplysia fasciata spend feeding. This effect is caused by increasing the number of feeding episodes initiated in response to food, whereas the duration of a feeding bout remains unchanged. The increase in the number of feeding episodes is related to increases in head waving and crawling, i.e., appetitive movements that bring the animal into contact with food, as well as an increase in the responsiveness to food after it is contacted. Releasing a homogenate containing atrial gland tissue, or egg laying hormone, in the water near the animal elicited head lifting similar to that seen when animals are food aroused. The data indicate that the facilitation of Aplysia feeding caused by pheromones arises in part by an excitation of appetitive behaviors. These findings suggest that neurons generating appetitive behaviors will be affected by pheromones.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)777-783
    Number of pages7
    JournalJournal of Comparative Physiology A: Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology
    Volume182
    Issue number6
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Jun 1998

    Bibliographical note

    Funding Information:
    Acknowledgements We thank Silvia Markovich for help in performing some of these experiments. This work was supported by Grant No. I-206-202.08/92 from the German-Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research and Development. Experimental procedures comply with the ‘‘Principles of animal care’’, publication No. 86– 23, revised 1985 of the National Institute of Health, and with current German and Israeli laws regulating animal experiments.

    Funding

    Acknowledgements We thank Silvia Markovich for help in performing some of these experiments. This work was supported by Grant No. I-206-202.08/92 from the German-Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research and Development. Experimental procedures comply with the ‘‘Principles of animal care’’, publication No. 86– 23, revised 1985 of the National Institute of Health, and with current German and Israeli laws regulating animal experiments.

    FundersFunder number
    German-Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research and Development

      Keywords

      • Atrial gland
      • Egg-laying hormone
      • Feeding
      • Mating
      • Pheromone

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