Research

How do central nervous systems work? Interneurons, the nerve cells within central nervous systems, have intricate branching structures, are arranged in the nervous system in a complex though ordered fashion, and are highly interconnected. Through interactions between interneurons the patterns of motor activity that underlie behaviour are generated and controlled. How does this happen? To what extent can behaviour be understood in terms of the interactions of identifiable neurons?  What factors constrain the conformation of interneuronal circuits?  Are there general principles of interneuronal organization throughout the phyla?

For several years I have used the locust flight system as a model with which to investigate these questions and others like them.  More recently I have started investigations using Drosophila and mice. The investigations are of neural function and of  behaviour so the experimental approaches have a wide range:  single cell recording and staining; paired intracellular recording to investigate synaptic physiology; electromyographic recording of motor patterns in the intact behaving animal; high speed cinematography and kinematic analysis of behaviour.

Some specific projects interesting me at present are:  1.  the effect of temperature on the operation of interneuronal circuitry;  2. the protective effect of heat shock on the operation of neural circuits. 3. plasticity at the insect neuromuscular junction.

The following recent references represent my attempt to answer, if only partially, some of the questions posed above.

Publications

Barclay, J.W. and Robertson, R.M. Heat shock induced thermoprotection of hindleg motor control in the locust. J. Exp. Biol. 203: 941-950 (2000).

Karunanithi, S., Barclay, J., Robertson, R.M., Brown, I.R. and Atwood, H.L. Neuroprotection at Drosophila synapses conferred by prior heat shock. J. Neurosci. 19:4360-4369 (1999)

Ramirez, J.-M., Elsen, F.P. and Robertson, R.M. Long-term effects of prior heat shock on neuronal potassium currents recorded in a novel insect ganglion slice preparation. J. Neurophysiol. 81:795-802 (1999)

Dawson-Scully, K.D. and Robertson, R.M. Heat shock protects synaptic transmission in flight motor circuitry of locusts. NeuroReport 9:2589-2593 (1998).

Shoemaker, K.L. and Robertson, R.M. Flight motor patterns of locusts responding to thermal stimuli. J. Comp. Physiol.183:477-488 (1998).

Gee, C.E. and Robertson, R.M. Free-flight ability in locusts recovering from partial deafferentation. Naturwissenschaften 85:167-170 (1998).

Gee, C.E., Shoemaker, K.L. and Robertson, R.M. The forewing tegulae: significance for steering manoeuvres and free flight in Locusta migratoria. Can. J. Zool. 76:660-667 (1998).

Gray, J.R. and Robertson, R.M. Effects of heat stress on axonal conduction in the locust flight system. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 120A: 181-186 (1998).

Robertson, R.M., Robert, D., Dawson, J. and Dawson-Scully, K. Wing movements during negative phonotaxis in the flying locust. J. Exp. Biol. 200:2323-2335 (1997).

Xu, H. and Robertson, R.M. Neural parameters contributing to temperature compensation in the flight CPG of the locust, Locusta migratoria. Brain Res. 734: 213-222 (1996).

Gee, C.E. and Robertson, R.M. Recovery of the flight system following ablation of the tegulae in immature adult locusts. J. Exp. Biol. 199: 1395-1403 (1996).

Robertson, R.M., Xu, H., Shoemaker, K. and Dawson-Scully, K. Exposure to heat shock affects thermosensitivity of the locust flight system. J. Neurobiol. 29: 367-383 (1996).

Gray, J.R. and Robertson, R.M. Structure of the forewing stretch receptor axon in immature and mature adult locusts. J. Comp. Neurol. 365: 268-277 (1996).

Department of Biology, Queen's University
Kingston, Ontario, Canada, K7L 3N6 - Telephone: (613) 533-6160, Fax: (613) 533-6617