Nervous systems of lower animals as models, with particular reference to peptidergic neurons in gastropods

Biomphalaria alexandrina as a bioindicator of metal toxicity

Heavy metals are common environmental pollutants to the aquatic ecosystems. Several aquatic species have been used as bioindicators and biomonitoring subjects for heavy metals pollution. In the present study, the effects of cadmium (Cd) and manganese (Mn) on the survival, attachment, locomotion, and feeding behaviours of the gastropod snail Biomphalaria alexandrina were determined. The short-term (96 h) LC50 for Cd and Mn were found to be 0.219 and 154.2 mg/l, respectively. Long-term exposures (16-20 days) to ascending concentrations of Cd (0.01-1 mg/l) and Mn (50-500 mg/l) also caused gradual decreases in the survival rate of B. alexandrina in a dose-dependent manner. Attachment, locomotion and feeding behaviours of snails exposed to lethal and sublethal concentrations of Cd and Mn at acute (96 h) and chronic exposure (24 days) intervals, respectively, were also recorded. Compared to controls, a significant decrease (p ≤ 0.05) was recorded in the different behaviours of exposed snails. These changes in behaviour would potentially impact the snail's ability to survive in the wild. Although Cd caused a more severe decline in snail survivorship than Mn, the behavioural effects of Mn were much more severe than Cd when the metals were roughly matched for lethality. In sum, the present study demonstrates B. alexandrina to be a sensitive bioindicator and model organism to assess heavy metals risk factors for severe toxicity in freshwater ecosystems.

About a snail, a toad, and rodents: animal models for adaptation research

Neural adaptation mechanisms have many similarities throughout the animal kingdom, enabling to study fundamentals of human adaptation in selected animal models with experimental approaches that are impossible to apply in man. This will be illustrated by reviewing research on three of such animal models, viz. (1) the egg-laying behavior of a snail, Lymnaea stagnalis: how one neuron type controls behavior, (2) adaptation to the ambient light condition by a toad, Xenopus laevis: how a neuroendocrine cell integrates complex external and neural inputs, and (3) stress, feeding, and depression in rodents: how a neuronal network co-ordinates different but related complex behaviors. Special attention is being paid to the actions of neurochemical messengers, such as neuropeptide Y, urocortin 1, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. While awaiting new technological developments to study the living human brain at the cellular and molecular levels, continuing progress in the insight in the functioning of human adaptation mechanisms may be expected from neuroendocrine research using invertebrate and vertebrate animal models.