An Apparatus for Recording Defensive Responses to Tactile Stimulation in the Ground Snail

Abstract

We describe here an original working experimental apparatus for non-invasive objective recording of the magnitudes of defensive responses to tactile stimulation in the ground snail. The apparatus includes a tracking device that ensures that the snail's position relative to a light and photodiode remains constant as it ascends a cylinder rotating about a horizontal axis. The device providing tactile stimulation is based on a loudspeaker circuit and provides blows of dosed energy. The snail responds to the tactile stimulation by retracting the antennae, head, and foot, which decreases the area of its shadow; this is recorded by a photodiode.

Habituation-Like Decrease of Acetylcholine-Induced Inward Current in Helix Command Neurons: Role of Microtubule Motor Proteins

“…The repeated rhythmic tactile stimulation of land snails (Helix lucorum) has caused a weakening of a defensive reaction (Moskvitin and Pivovarov 2004;Nistratova and Pivovarov 2004). Repeated applications of acetylcholine (ACh) to the command neurons of H. lucorum lead to a short-term depression of an acetylcholine-induced inward current (ACh-current).…”