Question

1. Entomologists (scientists who study insects) agree that it’s difficult to measure intelligence in insects. However, most say that the social insects seem to show the highest degree of intelligence (demonstrating memory, problem solving, learning, etc.). Why do you think social insects are so smart compared to other insects? Provide two reasons in your answer.

2. What do you think would happen if you stimulated an axon in its middle rather than at the axon hillock? Explain your reasoning.

3. Many neurotoxins have been used extensively in physiological studies of neurons. When comparing tetrodotoxin found in puffer fish and batrachotoxins from poison dart-frogs, the former had no effect on a neuron's resting potential but completely stopped its action potential, whereas the later toxin immediately initiates depolarization of a neuron but prevents repolarization. Can your group hypothesize how these toxins affect the nerve transmission differently?

Answer 1

1 ans) Social insects are smart compared to other insects because they have the ability to identify and remember colors and locations also have the capacity to recognise the different landscapes. In social insects brain size is so tiny, and has large number of neurons than other insects. The brain density is much higher than other insects. They also have good sensory system helping in excellent vision of insects.

2 ans) If you stimulate that axon in the middle depolarization occurs, the action potential can travel in two direction from the point of stimulation one is to the neuromuscular junction in normal direction, called orthodromic, second one going to the soma (neuron nucleus) is called antidromic. Action potentials cannot travel in reverse direction inactivation of the sodium channels supports the action potential.

3 ans) Tetrodotoxin is a neuro toxin it blocks the sodium channel thereby inhibiting the occurance of action potentials in neurons. Toxins binds to the voltage-gated sodium channels in nerve cell membranes and block passage of sodium ions into the neuron. Hence Tetrodotoxin stops action potential.

Batrachotoxin are lipid-soluble toxins these affect sodium channels giving rise to action potential and modifies ion selectivity and voltage sensitivity. Batrachotoxin do not close voltage-gated sodium channels, also minimizes the channel conductance.

Neurotoxin affect differently on nerve transmission based on type of toxins. Tetrodotoxin belongs to Sodium channel inhibitor group and Batrachotoxin belongs to lipid soluble neurotoxins group.

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