Deterrents and Their Effects on the Feeding Behavior and Sensory Physiology of Insects

Abstract

The gustatory system of insects is a prominent model in neuroscience. This important sensory system allows insects to detect, encode, and process gustatory information. This important sensory modality allows insects to perceive their environment. All animals detect and react to chemicals in their environment. Using insects as model systems allows us to obtain fundamental information regarding the processing of sensory information in the brain of the animal. Stimuli, associated with taste and smell, are responsible in insects being able to locate and select food sources, mates, and egg-laying sites. One line of research can be directed to better understanding gustatory cues in the selection of food sources by insects. Experimentally, this will involve feeding behavioral and electrophysiological testing in insects. Examining the structural organization of the gustatory organs using transmission electron and scanning electron microscopy will shed more light on the detailed structure of these taste sensory organs, the sensilla. During feeding, these taste organs sample the plant sap that contains a multitude of phytochemicals. Gustatory sensory input is encoded as patterns of nerve impulses by gustatory receptor cells which are housed in these taste sensory organs. Taste information gathered by these receptor cells will allow the insect to determine if the food is palatable or should be rejected.