Proboscis extension reflex

Gr5a and Gr66a - ablated by genetic manipulation. Taste responsiveness was assessed by performing proboscis extension reflex assays in control and DTI expressing animals. 

The CPE assay can involve associative and non-associative phenomena. The associative nature of proboscis extension reflex conditioning can be established by demonstrating that only forward pairing of CS-US sequences are effective to establish proper conditioning, compared to various control procedures, such as unpaired CS-US presentation [52]. The effects of an imidacloprid exposure can be shown not only on the bees performances in an associative learning task [53] but also in a non-associative learning procedure such as habituation imidacloprid at sub-lethal doses alters the number of trials needed to habituate the bees... 

To test this hypothesis, IMI was applied topically upon the thorax and the effects were tested on the habituation of the proboscis extension reflex induced by repeated sugar stimulation of the antennae. Animals treated with IMI to a dose that did not affect sensory or motor functions needed fewer trials than nontreated animals to show a reflex inhibition. This effect can be interpreted as a learning facilitation. 

TA directly mediates feeding threshold determination. In the blowfly Phormia regina, proboscis extension reflex was used as an indicator of behavioral sensitivity for taste. Acquired experiential effects of nonappetitive or appetitive odors were linked to TYR levels in the brain [36]. 

At a more subtle level, behavioral disturbances may make it more difficult for animals to find food. Pyrethroids, carbamates, OPs, and neonicotinoids can disturb the foraging activity of bees (Thompson 2003). Interestingly, effects have been shown upon the wagtail dance of bees, and this disrupts communication between individuals as to the location of nectar-bearing plants. Also, the neonicotinoid imidacloprid has been shown to adversely affect conditioned responses such as proboscis extension of honeybees (Guez et al. 2001). Nicotinoids can disturb the functioning of cholinergic synapses, which are involved in the operation of the proboscis reflex as... 

Fasted honey bees were stimulated repeatedly with a 50 percent (w/v) sucrose solution applied to one antenna at 1-min intervals. The habituation criterion was defined as three consecutive sucrose stimulations without proboscis extension. When this criterion was reached, the sucrose solution was applied to the controlateral antenna to rule out the eventuality of motor tiredness. Honey bees that did not respond to the 50 percent sucrose solution and to the restoration test of the reflex were discarded. IMI was applied at 1.25ng/bee and the drug effect was tested after 15 min, 30 min or 1 hour in three independent groups. A group receiving no treatment and a solvent-treated group were also added. 

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