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1.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38083268

RESUMEN

This work presents the design, manufacture, test, and preliminary in-vivo assessment of the proof-of-concept of a miniaturized wireless platform for acquiring electroencephalography signals, where the input stage is a high-CMRR current-efficiency custom-made integrated neural preamplifier.Clinical relevance- Small, low-power consumption, wireless, wearable devices for chronically monitoring EEG recordings may contribute to the diagnosis of transient neurological events, the characterization and potential forecasting of epileptic seizures, and provide signals for controlling prosthetic and aid devices.


Asunto(s)
Epilepsia , Dispositivos Electrónicos Vestibles , Humanos , Diseño de Equipo , Electroencefalografía , Epilepsia/diagnóstico , Amplificadores Electrónicos
2.
J Exp Biol ; 226(17)2023 09 01.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37408509

RESUMEN

Gymnotiformes are nocturnal fishes inhabiting the root mats of floating plants. They use their electric organ discharge (EOD) to explore the environment and to communicate. Here, we show and describe tonic and phasic sensory-electromotor responses to light distinct from indirect effects depending on the light-induced endogenous circadian rhythm. In the dark, principally during the night, inter-EOD interval histograms are bimodal: the main peak corresponds to the basal rate and a secondary peak corresponds to high-frequency bouts. Light causes a twofold tonic but opposing effect on the EOD histogram: (i) decreasing the main mode and (ii) blocking the high-frequency bouts and consequently increasing the main peak at the expense of removal of the secondary one. Additionally, light evokes phasic responses whose amplitude increases with intensity but whose slow time course and poor adaptation differentiate from the so-called novelty responses evoked by abrupt changes in sensory stimuli of other modalities. We confirmed that Gymnotus omarorum tends to escape from light, suggesting that these phasic responses are probably part of a global 'light-avoidance response'. We interpret the data within an ecological context. Fish rest under the shade of aquatic plants during the day and light spots due to the sun's relative movement alert the fish to hide in shady zones to avoid macroptic predators and facilitate tracking the movement of floating plant islands by wind and/or water currents.


Asunto(s)
Pez Eléctrico , Gymnotiformes , Animales , Órgano Eléctrico/fisiología , Gymnotiformes/fisiología , Movimiento , Pez Eléctrico/fisiología
3.
Biosystems ; 223: 104800, 2023 Jan.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36343760

RESUMEN

This article introduces and tests a simple model that describes a neural network found in nature, the electrosensory control of an electromotor pacemaker. The cornerstone of the model is an early-stage filter based on the subtraction of a feedforward integrated version of the recent sensory past from the present input signal. The output of this filter governs the modulation of a premotor pacemaker command driving the sensory signal carrier generation and, in consequence, the timing of subsequent electrosensory input. This early filter has a biological parallel in the known connectivity of the first electrosensory relay within the brain stem of the weakly electric fish Gymnotus omarorum. Our biomimetic model of this active, perception-driven action-sensation cycle was contrasted with previously published and here provided new data. When the amplitude of the electrosensory input was manipulated to mimic previous experiments on the novelty detection characteristics, the model reproduces them rather faithfully. In addition, when we applied continuous variations to the input it shows that increases in stimulus amplitudes are followed by increases in the EOD rate, but decreases do not cause rate modulation suggesting a rectification in some stage of the loop. These behavioral experiments confirmed results generated the simulations suggesting that beyond explaining the novelty detection process this simple model is a good description of the electrosensory -electromotor loop in pulse weakly electric fish.


Asunto(s)
Pez Eléctrico , Gymnotiformes , Animales , Órgano Eléctrico , Sensación
4.
Biosystems ; 223: 104803, 2023 Jan.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36371021

RESUMEN

The pulse emitting weakly electric fish Gymnotus omarorum shows stereotyped "novelty responses" consisting of a transient acceleration of the rhythm of a self-emitted electric organ discharge that carries electrosensory signals. Here we show that rapid increases in electric image amplitude cause a "novelty detection potential" in the first electrosensory relay. This sign precedes and its amplitude predicts, the amplitude of the subsequent behavioral novelty response. Current source density analyses indicates its origin ar the layers of the electrosensory lobe where the main output neurons occur. Two types of units, referred to as "ON" and "OFF". Were recorded there in decerebrated fish. Firing probability of "OFF" units drastically decreased after a stepwise increase in electric image. By contrast, the very first novel stimuli after the increase evoked a sharp peak in firing rate of "ON" units followed by a very fast adaptation phase that contrasted with the slow adaptation observed in previous recordings of primary afferents. The amplitudes of this peak, the novelty detection potential, and the behavioral novelty responses, show the same dependence on the departure of the newest stimulus intensity from the weighted average of preceding ones suggesting that the signals encoded by "ON" neurons underlay the novelty detection potential, propagates through the hierarchical organization of the electromotor control, and finally contribute to accelerate the electric organ discharge rate. This suggests that detecting novelty at the very early processing stage of electrosensory signals is essential to adapt the electrosensory sampling rate to exploration requirements as they change dynamically.


Asunto(s)
Pez Eléctrico , Animales , Pez Eléctrico/fisiología , Órgano Eléctrico/fisiología , Neuronas
5.
J Med Case Rep ; 16(1): 217, 2022 Jun 03.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35655240

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Type 1 neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation is a rare neurological disorder with estimated prevalence of one to two per million persons worldwide, characterized by progressive degeneration of basal ganglia, globus pallidus, and reticular part of substantia nigra, produced by brain iron accumulation due to a defect in the gene producing pantothenate kinase 2. Clinical presentations include dystonia, dysarthria, dysphagia, dementia, severe mental retardation, and severe movement disability at later stages. The characteristic pattern on brain magnetic resonance imaging shows the "eye of the tiger" sign. Treatment in late stages is mainly symptomatic. We report the case of a Cuban boy with high-severity brain iron accumulation, with positive clinical and imaging findings diagnosed in a late stage of the illness. This degree of severity has never been reported in Cuba and is rarely reported worldwide. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 19-year-old male white Cuban boy who presented to our department with features of spasticity, dystonia, gait difficulty, dysarthria, dysphagia, aggressiveness, and sleep disorders. He was diagnosed with pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration on the basis of clinical findings and typical "eye of the tiger" pattern on brain magnetic resonance imaging. Detailed evaluation was carried out, and symptomatic treatment and physiotherapy were started with trihexyphenidyl, cabergoline, baclofen, and intramuscular botulinum neurotoxin as well as daily home sessions of passive stretching, weight bearing, and muscle massaging. At 3 months reevaluation, the patient showed a great improvement of motor function, with a decrease of dystonic symptoms, although language, cognition, and functional independence showed no improvement. The prognosis of the patient remains reserved. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis can be made based on the presence of clinical and imaging features. The presence of "eye-of-the-tiger" sign on magnetic resonance imaging must be considered a nearly pathognomonic sign of neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation presence. Treatment after high-severity presentation remains directed toward symptomatic findings. Both dopamine agonists and anticholinergic agents are useful to treat motor symptoms, but there is not yet an effective treatment to stop the underlying degeneration. New therapeutic approaches are needed to counteract late stages of the disease and improve prognosis.


Asunto(s)
Trastornos de Deglución , Distonía , Adulto , Encéfalo/diagnóstico por imagen , Encéfalo/patología , Trastornos de Deglución/patología , Disartria , Distonía/tratamiento farmacológico , Distonía/etiología , Humanos , Hierro/uso terapéutico , Masculino , Adulto Joven
6.
Mov Disord ; 37(7): 1516-1525, 2022 07.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35607776

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Several pieces of evidence have shown the neurotrophic effect of erythropoietin (EPO) and its introduction in the therapeutic practice of neurological diseases. However, its usefulness in the treatment of spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) has not been proven despite the fact that it is endogenously reduced in these patients. OBJECTIVE: The study aims to investigate the safety, tolerability, and clinical effects of a nasally administered recombinant EPO in SCA2 patients. METHODS: Thirty-four patients were enrolled in this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, phase I-II clinical trial of the nasally administered human-recombinant EPO (NeuroEPO) for 6 months. The primary outcome was the change in the spinocerebellar ataxia functional index (SCAFI), while other motor, neuropsychological, and oculomotor measures were assessed. RESULTS: The 6-month changes in SCAFI score were slightly higher in the patients allocated to NeuroEPO treatment than placebo in spite of the important placebo effect observed for this parameter. However, saccade latency was significantly decreased in the NeuroEPO group but not in placebo. The frequency and severity of adverse events were similar between both groups, without evidences of hematopoietic activity of the drug. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the safety and tolerability of NeuroEPO in SCA2 patients after 6 months of treatments and suggested a small clinical effect of this drug on motor and cognitive abnormalities, but confirmatory studies are warranted. © 2022 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.


Asunto(s)
Eritropoyetina , Ataxias Espinocerebelosas , Método Doble Ciego , Epoetina alfa , Eritropoyetina/uso terapéutico , Estudios de Factibilidad , Humanos , Proteínas Recombinantes/uso terapéutico , Ataxias Espinocerebelosas/tratamiento farmacológico
7.
Plants (Basel) ; 10(5)2021 Apr 25.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33923075

RESUMEN

The studies on the Posidonia oceanica Delile (P. oceanica) phenolic composition have been focused on the foliar tissues and have often neglected the phenolic compounds in rhizomes or roots alike. With the current improvements in high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) analyzers, such as the Orbitrap MS, there is a new opportunity to more deeply study P. oceanica. One of the benefits is the possibility of conducting an exhaustive phenolic monitoring, which is crucial in the search for new stressor-specific biomarkers of coastal deterioration. For this purpose, the different tissues (leaf, rhizome, and root) of P. oceanica seagrass from several marine sampling areas were analyzed through target, suspected, and non-target screenings. This paper brings a fast and tissues-specific extraction, as well as a detection method of phenolic compounds applying for the first time the potential of HRMS (Exactive Orbitrap) in P. oceanica samples. As a result, 42 phenolic compounds were satisfactorily detected, of which, to our knowledge, 24 were not previously reported in P. oceanica, such as naringenin, naringenin chalcone and pinocembrin, among others. Information here reported could be used for the evaluation of new stressor-specific biomarkers of coastal deterioration in the Mediterranean waters. Furthermore, the followed extraction and analytical method could be considered as a reference protocol in other studies on marine seagrasses due to the exhaustive search and satisfactory results.

8.
Ambio ; 50(1): 150-162, 2021 Jan.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32086786

RESUMEN

Conservation easements are the fastest growing private conservation strategy in the United States. However, mechanisms to assess private land conservation as well as their support by the general public are not well understood. This study uses the ecosystem services framework for assessing existing private lands in Idaho and identifies areas for future conservation easements. Using conservation targets of the land trust as a guide for selecting ecosystem services, we (a) mapped the spatial delivery of conservation targets across public and private lands, (b) explored public awareness in terms of social importance and vulnerability, and (c) mapped future priority areas by characterizing conservation bundles. We found that public lands provided the highest levels of conservation targets, and we found no difference in conservation target provision between private areas and conservation easements. The spatial characterization of conservation target bundles identified potential future priority areas for conservation easements, which can guide planning of land trust conservation efforts.


Asunto(s)
Conservación de los Recursos Naturales , Ecosistema , Estados Unidos
9.
Entropy (Basel) ; 22(1)2020 Jan 19.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33285898

RESUMEN

Socio-ecological systems are recognized as complex adaptive systems whose multiple interactions might change as a response to external or internal changes. Due to its complexity, the behavior of the system is often uncertain. Bayesian networks provide a sound approach for handling complex domains endowed with uncertainty. The aim of this paper is to analyze the impact of the Bayesian network structure on the uncertainty of the model, expressed as the Shannon entropy. In particular, three strategies for model structure have been followed: naive Bayes (NB), tree augmented network (TAN) and network with unrestricted structure (GSS). Using these network structures, two experiments are carried out: (1) the impact of the Bayesian network structure on the entropy of the model is assessed and (2) the entropy of the posterior distribution of the class variable obtained from the different structures is compared. The results show that GSS constantly outperforms both NB and TAN when it comes to evaluating the uncertainty of the entire model. On the other hand, NB and TAN yielded lower entropy values of the posterior distribution of the class variable, which makes them preferable when the goal is to carry out predictions.

10.
Bioinspir Biomim ; 15(3): 035008, 2020 04 09.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31899911

RESUMEN

Weakly electric fish polarize the nearby environment with a stereotyped electric field and gain information by detecting the changes imposed by objects with tuned sensors. Here we focus on polarization strategies as paradigmatic bioinspiring mechanisms for sensing devices. We begin this research developing a toy model that describes three polarization strategies exhibited by three different groups of fish. We then report an experimental analysis which confirmed predictions of the model and in turn predicted functional consequences that were explored in behavioral experiments in the pulse fish Gymnotus omarorum. In the experiments, polarization was evaluated by estimating the object's stamp (i.e. the electric source that produces the same electric image as the object) as a function of object impedance, orientation, and position. Signal detection and discrimination was explored in G. omarorum by provoking novelty responses, which are known to reflect the increment in the electric image provoked by a change in nearby impedance. To achieve this, we stepped the longitudinal impedance of a cylindrical object between two impedances (either capacitive or resistive). Object polarization and novelty responses indicate that G. omarorum has two functional regions in the electrosensory field. At the front of the fish, there is a foveal field where object position and orientation are encoded in signal intensity, while the qualia associated with impedance is encoded in signal time course. On the side of the fish there is a peripheral field where the complexity of the polarizing field facilitates detection of objects oriented in any angle with respect to the fish´s longitudinal axis. These findings emphasize the importance of articulating field generation, sensor tuning and the repertoire of exploratory movements to optimize performance of artificial active electrosensory systems.


Asunto(s)
Conducta Animal/fisiología , Técnicas Biosensibles/instrumentación , Gymnotiformes/fisiología , Animales , Impedancia Eléctrica , Percepción
11.
J Exp Biol ; 222(Pt 5)2019 03 01.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30659081

RESUMEN

The most broadly expressed and studied aspect of sensory transduction is receptor tuning to the power spectral density of the incoming signals. Temporal cues expressed in the phase spectrum are relevant in African and American pulse-emitting electric fish showing electroreceptors sensing the signals carried by the self- and conspecific-generated electric organ discharges. This article concerns the role of electroreceptor phase sensitivity in American pulse Gymnotiformes. These fish show electroreceptors sharply tuned to narrow frequency bands. This led to the common thought that most electrosensory information is contained in the amplitude spectra of the signals. However, behavioral and modeling studies suggest that in their pulses, Gymnotiformes electroreceptors also encode cues embodied in the phase spectrum of natural stimuli. Here, we show that the two main types of tuberous primary afferents of Gymnotus omarorum differentially respond to cues embodied in the amplitude and phase spectra of self-generated electrosensory signals. One afferent type, pulse markers, is mainly driven by the amplitude spectrum, while the other, burst coders, is predominantly sensitive to the phase spectrum. This dual encoding strategy allows the fish to create a sensory manifold where patterns of 'electric color' generated by object impedance and other potential sources of 'colored' images (such as large nearby objects and other electric fish) can be represented.


Asunto(s)
Órgano Eléctrico/fisiología , Gymnotiformes/fisiología , Células Receptoras Sensoriales/fisiología , Animales , Impedancia Eléctrica
12.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun ; 498(3): 680-685, 2018 04 06.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29530529

RESUMEN

Cell migration involves the precise coordination between extension at the front of the cell and retraction at the rear. This coordination is particularly evident in fast moving cells such as fish keratocytes, where it leads to highly stable gliding motion, propelled at the front by broad, 0.1-0-2 µm thick lamellipodia. Transient uncoupling between extension and retraction can occur if the rear is temporarily stuck, which might eventually lead to cell shape instabilities. We have frequently observed in fish keratocytes the presence of lamellipodial radial wrinkles, detected by confocal, scanning electron and side-view microscopy as folds in the lamellipodium up to 2 µm in height. Using a linear finite elements analysis, we simulated the displacement of cells either with perfect coordination between extension and retraction or with the rear transiently stuck while the front continues extending, and we observed that in this last condition compression stresses arise in the lamellipodium which predict the formation of the observed pattern of lamellipodial wrinkles. In support of the numerical modeling findings, we observed that the transient halting of retraction at the rear using micromanipulation induced the formation of lamellipodial wrinkles in previously flat lamellipodia. The obtained results suggest that the conspicuous lamellipodial wrinkles observed in migrating fish keratocytes are the product of transient imbalances between front and rear displacements, and are therefore useful markers of the short scale dynamics of extension and retraction coordination during cell migration.


Asunto(s)
Movimiento Celular , Queratinocitos/citología , Seudópodos/ultraestructura , Animales , Células Cultivadas , Simulación por Computador , Análisis de Elementos Finitos , Carpa Dorada/metabolismo , Queratinocitos/metabolismo , Queratinocitos/ultraestructura , Microscopía Confocal , Modelos Biológicos , Seudópodos/metabolismo
13.
J Exp Biol ; 220(Pt 9): 1663-1673, 2017 05 01.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28202586

RESUMEN

As in most sensory systems, electrosensory images in weakly electric fish are encoded in two parallel pathways, fast and slow. From work on wave-type electric fish, these fast and slow pathways are thought to encode the time and amplitude of electrosensory signals, respectively. The present study focuses on the primary afferents giving origin to the slow path of the pulse-type weakly electric fish Gymnotus omarorum We found that burst duration coders respond with a high-frequency train of spikes to each electric organ discharge. They also show high sensitivity to phase-frequency distortions of the self-generated local electric field. We explored this sensitivity by manipulating the longitudinal impedance of a probe cylinder to modulate the stimulus waveform, while extracellularly recording isolated primary afferents. Resistive loads only affect the amplitude of the re-afferent signals without distorting the waveform. Capacitive loads cause large waveform distortions aside from amplitude changes. Stepping from a resistive to a capacitive load in such a way that the stimulus waveform was distorted, without changing its total energy, caused strong changes in latency, inter-spike interval and number of spikes of primary afferent responses. These burst parameters are well correlated suggesting that they may contribute synergistically in driving downstream neurons. This correlation also suggests that each receptor encodes a single parameter in the stimulus waveform. The finding of waveform distortion sensitivity is relevant because it may contribute to: (a) enhance electroreceptive range in the peripheral 'electrosensory field', (b) a better identification of living prey at the 'foveal electrosensory field' and (c) detect the presence and orientation of conspecifics. Our results also suggest a revision of the classical view of amplitude and time encoding by fast and slow pathways in pulse-type electric fish.


Asunto(s)
Gymnotiformes/fisiología , Sensación/fisiología , Células Receptoras Sensoriales/fisiología , Animales , Impedancia Eléctrica , Fenómenos Electrofisiológicos
14.
Front Neurosci ; 11: 732, 2017.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29354028

RESUMEN

Key scientific discoveries have resulted from genetic studies of Drosophila melanogaster, using a multitude of transgenic fly strains, the majority of which are constructed in a genetic background containing mutations in the white gene. Here we report that white mutant flies from w1118 strain undergo retinal degeneration. We observed also that w1118 mutants have progressive loss of climbing ability, shortened life span, as well as impaired resistance to various forms of stress. Retinal degeneration was abolished by transgenic expression of mini-white+ in the white null background w1118 . We conclude that beyond the classical eye-color phenotype, mutations in Drosophila white gene could impair several biological functions affecting parameters like mobility, life span and stress tolerance. Consequently, we suggest caution and attentiveness during the interpretation of old experiments employing white mutant flies and when planning new ones, especially within the research field of neurodegeneration and neuroprotection. We also encourage that the use of w1118 strain as a wild-type control should be avoided.

15.
PLoS Comput Biol ; 10(7): e1003722, 2014 Jul.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25010765

RESUMEN

Modeling the electric field and images in electric fish contributes to a better understanding of the pre-receptor conditioning of electric images. Although the boundary element method has been very successful for calculating images and fields, complex electric organ discharges pose a challenge for active electroreception modeling. We have previously developed a direct method for calculating electric images which takes into account the structure and physiology of the electric organ as well as the geometry and resistivity of fish tissues. The present article reports a general application of our simulator for studying electric images in electric fish with heterogeneous, extended electric organs. We studied three species of Gymnotiformes, including both wave-type (Apteronotus albifrons) and pulse-type (Gymnotus obscurus and Gymnotus coropinae) fish, with electric organs of different complexity. The results are compared with the African (Gnathonemus petersii) and American (Gymnotus omarorum) electric fish studied previously. We address the following issues: 1) how to calculate equivalent source distributions based on experimental measurements, 2) how the complexity of the electric organ discharge determines the features of the electric field and 3) how the basal field determines the characteristics of electric images. Our findings allow us to generalize the hypothesis (previously posed for G. omarorum) in which the perioral region and the rest of the body play different sensory roles. While the "electrosensory fovea" appears suitable for exploring objects in detail, the rest of the body is likened to a "peripheral retina" for detecting the presence and movement of surrounding objects. We discuss the commonalities and differences between species. Compared to African species, American electric fish show a weaker field. This feature, derived from the complexity of distributed electric organs, may endow Gymnotiformes with the ability to emit site-specific signals to be detected in the short range by a conspecific and the possibility to evolve predator avoidance strategies.


Asunto(s)
Órgano Eléctrico/fisiología , Gymnotiformes/fisiología , Modelos Biológicos , Animales , Biología Computacional , Electricidad
16.
Brain Res ; 1536: 27-43, 2013 Nov 06.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23727613

RESUMEN

Electroreception is a sensory modality present in chondrichthyes, actinopterygii, amphibians, and mammalian monotremes. The study of this non-intuitive sensory modality has provided insights for better understanding of sensory systems in general and inspired the development of innovative artificial devices. Here we review evidence obtained from the analysis of electrosensory images, neurophysiological data from the recording of unitary activity in the electrosensory lobe, and psychophysical data from analysis of novelty responses provoked in well-defined stimulus conditions, which all confirm that active electroreception has a short range, and that the influence of exploratory movements on object identification is strong. In active electric images two components can be identified: a "global" image profile depending on the volume, shape and global impedance of an object and a "texture" component depending on its surface attributes. There is a short range of the active electric sense and the progressive "blurring" of object image with distance. Consequently, the lack of precision regarding object location, considered together, challenge the current view of this sense as serving long range electrolocation and the commonly used metaphor of "electric vision". In fact, the active electric sense shares more commonalities with human active touch than with teleceptive senses as vision or audition. Taking into account that other skin exteroceptors and proprioception may be congruently stimulated during fish exploratory movements we propose that electric, mechanoceptive and proprioceptive sensory modalities found in electric fish could be considered together as a single haptic sensory system. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Neural Coding 2012.


Asunto(s)
Órgano Eléctrico/fisiología , Fenómenos Electrofisiológicos , Percepción/fisiología , Células Receptoras Sensoriales/fisiología , Animales , Pez Eléctrico/fisiología
17.
J Exp Biol ; 215(Pt 18): 3266-80, 2012 Sep 15.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22915713

RESUMEN

This article reports a biophysical and behavioral assessment of the active electrolocation range of Gymnotus omarorum. Physical measurements show that the stimulus field of a point on the sensory mosaic (i.e. the potential positions in which an object may cause a significant departure of the transcutaneous field from basal in the absence of an object) consists of relatively extended volumes surrounding this point. The shape of this stimulus field is dependent on the position of the point on the receptive mosaic and the size of the object. Although the limit of stimulus fields is difficult to assess (it depends on receptor threshold), departure from the basal field decays rapidly, vanishing at about 1.5 diameters for conductive spheres. This short range was predictable from earlier theoretical constructs and experimental data. Here, we addressed the contribution of three different but synergetic mechanisms by which electrosensory signals attenuate with object distance. Using novelty responses as an indicator of object detection we confirmed that the active electrosensory detection range is very short. Behavioral data also indicate that the ability to precisely locate a small object of edible size decays even more rapidly than the ability to detect it. The role of active electroreception is discussed in the context of the fish's habitat.


Asunto(s)
Órgano Eléctrico/fisiología , Gymnotiformes/fisiología , Animales , Conducta Animal/fisiología , Ecosistema , Conductividad Eléctrica , Estimulación Física , Piel/anatomía & histología
18.
J Exp Biol ; 215(Pt 9): 1533-41, 2012 May 01.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22496290

RESUMEN

We examined non-linear effects of the presence of one object on the electric image of another placed at the foveal region in Gymnotus omarorum. The sensory consequences of object mutual polarization on electric images were also depicted using behavioral procedures. Image measurements show that objects whose electric image is not detectable may modify the electric image of another placed closer to the fish and suggest that detection range and discrimination parameters used for one object may be affected when the presence of others enriches the scene. Behavioral experiments confirm that these changes in object images resulting from mutual polarization may be exploited for improving perception. While conductive objects close to the skin allow the fish to detect other objects placed out of the active electrodetection range, non-conductive objects may hide objects that otherwise show clear electric images. This suggests that fish movements may orient the self-generated field to exploit object mutual polarization, increasing or decreasing the active electrolocation range. In addition, images of a nearby object may be modulated by the presence of another object placed outside the detection range and the corresponding behavioral responses suggest that a moving or impedance-changing context may modify a fish's discrimination abilities for closer objects.


Asunto(s)
Percepción de Distancia/fisiología , Órgano Eléctrico/fisiología , Gymnotiformes/fisiología , Conducta Espacial/fisiología , Animales , Conducta Animal , Fenómenos Fisiológicos Cardiovasculares , Conductividad Eléctrica , Impedancia Eléctrica , Electricidad , Electrofisiología/métodos , Movimiento , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Células Receptoras Sensoriales
19.
PLoS One ; 6(11): e27470, 2011.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22096578

RESUMEN

Active electroreception in Gymnotus omarorum is a sensory modality that perceives the changes that nearby objects cause in a self generated electric field. The field is emitted as repetitive stereotyped pulses that stimulate skin electroreceptors. Differently from mormyriformes electric fish, gymnotiformes have an electric organ distributed along a large portion of the body, which fires sequentially. As a consequence shape and amplitude of both, the electric field generated and the image of objects, change during the electric pulse. To study how G. omarorum constructs a perceptual representation, we developed a computational model that allows the determination of the self-generated field and the electric image. We verify and use the model as a tool to explore image formation in diverse experimental circumstances. We show how the electric images of objects change in shape as a function of time and position, relative to the fish's body. We propose a theoretical framework about the organization of the different perceptive tasks made by electroreception: 1) At the head region, where the electrosensory mosaic presents an electric fovea, the field polarizing nearby objects is coherent and collimated. This favors the high resolution sampling of images of small objects and perception of electric color. Besides, the high sensitivity of the fovea allows the detection and tracking of large faraway objects in rostral regions. 2) In the trunk and tail region a multiplicity of sources illuminate different regions of the object, allowing the characterization of the shape and position of a large object. In this region, electroreceptors are of a unique type and capacitive detection should be based in the pattern of the afferents response. 3) Far from the fish, active electroreception is not possible but the collimated field is suitable to be used for electrocommunication and detection of large objects at the sides and caudally.


Asunto(s)
Órgano Eléctrico/metabolismo , Epitelio/metabolismo , Gymnotiformes/anatomía & histología , Gymnotiformes/metabolismo , Animales , Epitelio/anatomía & histología , Gymnotiformes/fisiología , Células Receptoras Sensoriales/citología , Células Receptoras Sensoriales/metabolismo
20.
PLoS One ; 6(8): e22793, 2011.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21876730

RESUMEN

This article deals with the role of fish's body and object's geometry on determining the image spatial shape in pulse Gymnotiforms. This problem was explored by measuring local electric fields along a line on the skin in the presence and absence of objects. We depicted object's electric images at different regions of the electrosensory mosaic, paying particular attention to the perioral region where a fovea has been described. When sensory surface curvature increases relative to the object's curvature, the image details depending on object's shape are blurred and finally disappear. The remaining effect of the object on the stimulus profile depends on the strength of its global polarization. This depends on the length of the object's axis aligned with the field, in turn depending on fish body geometry. Thus, fish's body and self-generated electric field geometries are embodied in this "global effect" of the object. The presence of edges or local changes in impedance at the nearest surface of closely located objects adds peaks to the image profiles ("local effect" or "object's electric texture"). It is concluded that two cues for object recognition may be used by active electroreceptive animals: global effects (informing on object's dimension along the field lines, conductance, and position) and local effects (informing on object's surface). Since the field has fish's centered coordinates, and electrosensory fovea is used for exploration of surfaces, fish fine movements are essential to perform electric perception. We conclude that fish may explore adjacent objects combining active movements and electrogenesis to represent them using electrosensory information.


Asunto(s)
Electricidad , Gymnotiformes/anatomía & histología , Gymnotiformes/fisiología , Imagenología Tridimensional , Animales , Órgano Eléctrico/fisiología , Estimulación Física , Propiedades de Superficie
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