Award Abstract #0238464
CAREER: Reticulospinal control of alternative startle behaviors

NSF Org:	IOS Division of Integrative Organismal Systems
Initial Amendment Date:	May 9, 2003
Latest Amendment Date:	April 21, 2008
Award Number:	0238464
Award Instrument:	Continuing grant
Program Manager:	J. Steven de Belle IOS Division of Integrative Organismal Systems BIO Directorate for Biological Sciences
Start Date:	May 15, 2003
Expires:	April 30, 2009 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$710938
Investigator(s):	Melina Hale mhale@uchicago.edu (Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	University of Chicago 5801 South Ellis Avenue Chicago, IL 60637 773/702-8602
NSF Program(s):	BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
Field Application(s):	0000099 Other Applications NEC
Program Reference Code(s):	BIOT,9183,9179,9178,9177,1187,1096,1045
Program Element Code(s):	1191

ABSTRACT

Melina Elisabeth Hale

Proposal number: 0238464

Title: CAREER: Reticulospinal control of alternative startle behaviors.

The broad question this research addresses is: How do nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord control movement? The aim of this research is to determine the nervous system's control of a little-studied startle behavior called the S-start and to compare it to the model startle behavior. Experiments are conducted on larval zebrafish because they are transparent, making it possible to look into the brain and spinal cord in the live, intact animal. With combined fluorescence microscopy and high-speed video analysis, the activity of nerve cells and movement pattern of the animal will be viewed simultaneously to determine in which behaviors specific nerve cells function. Individual cells will also be removed from the brain or spinal cord to test their roles in behavior. Data on behavior suggests that the two types of startle behavior will be controlled by different sets of nerve cells. However, because the two behaviors are under the same adaptive constraints--they need to be fast and reliable to prevent the escaping fish from being captured or injured by a predator--organizing principles of their nervous control will be similar. By determining how alternative types of startle behaviors are controlled by the nervous system, this research provides a foundation of information on this evolutionarily important behavior. This work has several educational goals. At the undergraduate level, this program brings cutting-edge technology into the classroom and students into the research laboratory. At the middle-school level, this program will examine issues of how animals move with minority girls from communities on the south side of Chicago. By illustrating movement control through the biology of familiar conditions, such as spinal-cord injury and stroke, a specific goal is to empower students to learn about their bodies and conditions that affect their lives.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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Bierman, H. S., J. S. Schriefer, S. J. Zottoli, and M. E. Hale..  "The Effects of Head and Tail Stmulation on the Withdrawal Startle Response of the Rope Fish (Erpetoichthys calabaricus).,"  J. exp. Biol.,  v.207,  2004,  p. 3985.

Hale M.E, M.A. Kheirbek., J. E. Schriefer, and V.E. Prince..  "The function of Mauthner cell duplicates in startle behavior: Insights into the evolution of new neural circuits.,"  J. Neurosci.,  v.24,  2004,  p. 3070.

Hale, M. E., R. Day, D. H. Thorsen and M. W. Westneat..  "Coordination and control of pectoral fin gait transitions.,"  Journal of Experimental Biology,  v.59,  2006,  p. 697.

Hurley, I., Hale., M. E. and V. E. Prince.  "Duplication events and the evolution of segment identity.,"  Evolution and Development,  v.7,  2005,  p. 556.

McLean D. L., Fan J., Higashijima S.-I., Hale M.E., Fetcho J.R..  "A topographic map of recruitment in spinal cord.,"  Nature,  v.446,  2007,  p. 71.

Schriefer, J. E. and M. E. Hale.  "Neural control of strike and startle behavior in Esox lucius.,"  J. exp. Biol,  v.207,  2004,  p. 535.

Thorsen, D. H. and M. E. Hale.  "Innvervation of the larval zebrafish pectoral fins.,"  J. Comp. Neurol..,  v.504,  2007,  p. 168.

Thorsen, D. H. and M. E. Hale..  "Development of zebrafish (Danio rerio) pectoral fin musculature.,"  J. Morph,  v.266,  2005,  p. 241.

Thorsen, D. H., J. J. Cassidy and M. E. Hale.  "Swimming of larval zebrafish: fin-axis coordination and implications for function and neural control.,"  J. exp. Biol,  v.207,  2004,  p. 4175.

Westneat, M. W., D. H. Thorsen, J. A. Walker, and M. E. Hale..  "Structure, Function and Neural Control of Pectoral Fins in Fishes.,"  IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering,  v.29,  2004,  p. 674.


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