Brain and sensory systems

Kotrschal, Kurt; Brandstätter, Roland; Gomahr, Andreas; Junger, Heidi; Palzenberger, Margit; Zaunreiter, Monika

doi:10.1007/978-94-011-3092-9_10

Cited by 32 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 116 publications

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“…For example, the cerebellum of fish is believed to be linked to a variety of cognitive functions (Rodriguez et al 2005), and its removal from a dogfish Mustelus canis Mitchill resulted in a marked reduction in motor and sensory performance (Karamyan 1956). The medulla oblongata is known to control a range of involuntary responses such as breathing, digestion and heart rate (Bernstein 1970), while the optic lobes are the primary visionprocessing centre in teleost fishes (Guthrie 1986); herein, visual information regarding movement, color and shape are analyzed, and stimuli from the lateral line system are received (Springer et al 1977, Kortrschal et al 1991). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Histopathological and ultrastructural observations of metacercarial infections of Diplostomum phoxini (Digenea) in the brain of minnows Phoxinus phoxinus

Dezfuli¹,

Capuano²,

Simoni³

et al. 2007

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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The spatial distribution and histopathological changes induced by metacercariae of the digenean trematode Diplostomum phoxini (Faust, 1918) in the brains of European minnows Phoxinus phoxinus (L.) from the River Endrick, Scotland, were studied by light and electron microscopy. Postmortem examination of a sample of 34 minnows revealed that 50% (n = 17) of the population was infected with 13.7 ± 2.6 (mean ± SE; range 1 to 38) metacercariae per infected host. Serial histological sections of the infected minnow brains revealed that the metacercariae were unevenly distributed throughout the brain, with aggregations occurring in the cerebellum, the medulla oblongata and the optic lobes. In fish with highest intensities of infection, over 40% of the cerebellar area and about 30% of the medulla oblongata area were occupied by larvae. Metacercariae disrupt the integrity of brain tissue, with individuals being found in small pockets surrounded by cellular debris. Metacercariae were rarely encountered on the surface of the brain. Electron microscopic examination of infection sites revealed that the granular layer surrounding metacercariae was necrotic, exhibited nuclear degradation and was marked by vacuolation of the cytoplasm. Rodlet cells, the only inflammatory cell types recorded in this study, were found only in parasitized brains and in close proximity to the teguments of metacercariae. It is hypothesised that secretions released from the teguments of metacercariae are a counter response to protect the metacercariae from the fish brain's cellular defence mechanisms. KEY WORDS: Brain infection · Digenean trematode · Phoxinus phoxinus · Rodlet cells · Histopathology · Ultrastructure Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherDis Aquat Org 75: [51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59] 2007 gata and the optic lobes, centres of the brain that are responsible for host motor activity, sensory functions and vision (Barber et al. 2000, Shirakashi & Goater 2005. Until recently, metacercariae were generally regarded as immature, non-feeding and metabolically inactive stages waiting for transmission to the next/ definitive host (Bush et al. 2001, Poulin & Latham 2003. However, a recent study by Goater et al. (2005) demonstrated via experimental infection that the metacercariae of Ornithodiplostomum ptychocheilus Faust, 1917 in Pimephales promelas Rafinesque, 1820 undergo a series of complex developmental changes associated with their feeding on host brain tissue.A histological examination of Phoxinus phoxinus heads in the current study revealed the presence of rodlet cells only in infected brains, notably in the epithelium lining the ventricles of the optic lobes. It is believed that rodlet cells play a role within the piscine inflammatory response (Dezfuli et al. 2000, Manera & Dezfuli 2004, Reite 2005, Reite & Evensen 2006. We found rodlet cells only within the infected brain of a fish, and our findings are briefly compared with the information available on their presence in other f...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Histopathological and ultrastructural observations of metacercarial infections of Diplostomum phoxini (Digenea) in the brain of minnows Phoxinus phoxinus

Dezfuli¹,

Capuano²,

Simoni³

et al. 2007

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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“…Strong correlations between both relative brain size and brain organization and ecology are documented in other vertebrate groups, including teleosts [Bauchot et al, 1977;Huber and Rylander, 1992;Kotrschal and Palzenberger, 1992;Schellart and Prins, 1993;Huber et al, 1997;Kotrschal et al, 1998;Ito et al, 2007;Pollen et al, 2007], birds [Riddell and Corl, 1977;Sol et al, 2007], and mammals [Eisenberg and Wilson, 1978;Pirlot and Jolicoeur, 1982;Harvey and Krebs, 1990;Barton et al, 1995;Hutcheon et al, 2002]. Structural enlargement of sensory brain areas is seen in mesopelagic and abyssal teleosts [Kotrschal et al, 1998;Wagner, 2001a, b]; these data suggest that there are neural adaptations in fishes that reflect sensory specialization [e.g., Morita and Finger, 1985;Heiligenberg, 1987;Kanwal and Caprio, 1987;Finger, 1988;Kotrschal et al, 1990;Meek and Nieuwenhuys, 1997]. However, there is currently almost no neuroanatomical information on the top predators in the deep-sea, particularly the chondrichthyans.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Brain Organization and Specialization in Deep-Sea Chondrichthyans

Yopak

Montgomery²

2008

Brain Behav Evol

125

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Chondrichthyans occupy a basal place in vertebrate evolution and offer a relatively unexplored opportunity to study the evolution of vertebrate brains. This study examines the brain morphology of 22 species of deep-sea sharks and holocephalans, in relation to both phylogeny and ecology. Both relative brain size (expressed as residuals) and the relative development of the five major brain areas (telencephalon, diencephalon, mesencephalon, cerebellum, and medulla) were assessed. The cerebellar-like structures, which receive projections from the electroreceptive and lateral line organs, were also examined as a discrete part of the medulla. Although the species examined spanned three major chondrichthyan groupings (Squalomorphii, Galeomorphii, Holocephali), brain size and the relative development of the major brain areas did not track phylogenetic groupings. Rather, a hierarchical cluster analysis performed on the deep-sea sharks and holocephalans shows that these species all share the common characteristics of a relatively reduced telencephalon and smooth cerebellar corpus, as well as extreme relative enlargement of the medulla, specifically the cerebellar-like lobes. Although this study was not a functional analysis, it provides evidence that brain variation in deep-sea chondichthyans shows adaptive patterns in addition to underlying phylogenetic patterns, and that particular brain patterns might be interpreted as ‘cerebrotypes’.

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“…For olfaction and vision, correlations between the surface area of the peripheral sensory epithelium and the olfactory lobe or the optic tectum have already been published for shallow water fishes [Kotrschal et al, 1990;Meek and Nieuwenhuys, 1997]. Exteroception is mediated by the trigeminal (V), lateral line and octaval (VIII) nerves, the axons of which project to the trigeminal/octavolateral area in the dorsal rhombencephalic zone.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Brain Areas in Abyssal Demersal Fishes

Hj¹

2001

Brain Behav Evol

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Four areas of the brain which receive primary projections from chemical senses ([1] olfactory bulb, [2] gustatory area including facial and vagal lobes), the eye ([3] optic tectum), and mechanosensory, and-hair-cell based systems i.e. the lateral line, vestibular and auditory systems ([4] trigeminal and octavolateral regions) have been studied and relative size differences used to make deductions on the sensory preferences of 35 fish species living on or near the bottom of the deep sea. Furthermore the relative volumes of the telencephalon and the corpus cerebelli were determined. Two evaluation modes were applied: (1) the relative mean of each system was calculated and species with above-average areas identified; (2) a cluster analysis established multivariate correlations among the sensory systems. The diversity of sensory brain areas in this population of fish suggests that the benthic and epibenthic environment of the abyss presents a rich sensory environment. Vision seems to be the single most important sense suggesting the presence of relevant bioluminescent stimuli. However, in combination the chemical senses, smell and taste, surpass the visual system; most prominent among them is olfaction. The trigeminal/octavolateral area indicating the role of lateral line input and possibly audition is also well represented, but only in association with other sensory modalities. A large volume telencephalon was often observed in combination with a prominent olfactory system, whereas cerebella of unusually large sizes occurred in species with above-average visual, hair-cell based, but also olfactory systems, confirming their role as multimodal sensorimotor coordination centers. In several species the predictions derived from the volumetric brain analyses were confirmed by earlier observations of stomach content and data obtained by baited cameras.

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Brain and sensory systems

Cited by 32 publications

References 116 publications

Histopathological and ultrastructural observations of metacercarial infections of Diplostomum phoxini (Digenea) in the brain of minnows Phoxinus phoxinus

Histopathological and ultrastructural observations of metacercarial infections of Diplostomum phoxini (Digenea) in the brain of minnows Phoxinus phoxinus

Brain Organization and Specialization in Deep-Sea Chondrichthyans

Brain Areas in Abyssal Demersal Fishes

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