Contribution in an anthology

Appeared in: Plasticity of the Auditory System

Editor list: Parks, TN; Rubel, EW; Fay, RR

Publication year: 2004

Pages: 285-312

ISBN: 978-0-387-20986-9

eISBN: 978-1-4757-4219-0

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-4219-0_7

Edition: 1. Auflage

Title of series: Springer Handbook of Auditory Research

Number in series: 23

Abstract: 

The term “plasticity” covers different aspects and mechanisms in the nervous system. It is, however, still not readily associated with insects for a number of reasons. First, insects often seem to have a stereotyped behavior. Second, scientists established the identified neuron concept, which implies that the very same nerve cells can be identified repeatedly by their function and morphology from individual to individual (Hoyle 1983). Both views led to the belief that information processing in the nervous systems of insects is hardwired rather than plastic. Despite this belief, early studies pointed out that at least some insects, such as bees, are capable of remarkable learning tasks (von Frisch 1914; Thorpe 1939; Horridge 1962; Alloway 1972). Learning, however, requires plastic changes in the nervous system. At present learning and memory are not only well established for different insects (for recent reviews see Hammer and Menzel 1995; Menzel and Müller 1996; Menzel 2001) but also genetically accessible in Drosophila (Dubnau and Tully 1998), making insects favorable model organisms, at least for this aspect of plasticity.

Harvard Citation style: Lakes-Harlan, R. (2004) Plasticity in the Auditory System of Insects, in Parks, T., Rubel, E. and Fay, R. (eds.) Plasticity of the Auditory System. 1. Auflage. New York: Springer Verlag, pp. 285-312. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-4219-0_7

APA Citation style: Lakes-Harlan, R. (2004). Plasticity in the Auditory System of Insects. In Parks, T., Rubel, E., & Fay, R. (Eds.), Plasticity of the Auditory System (1. Auflage, pp. 285-312). Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-4219-0_7