| Abstrakt: |
Octopamine (OA) functions as a neurotransmitter, neuromodulator, and neurohormone in the body of insects. Octopaminergic neurons were found in the nervous system of all studied insect species. OA acts on nerve, muscle, glandular, and fat cells through G protein-coupled receptors, preparing and providing active actions. The concentration of octopamine in the hemolymph increases in response to a wide spectrum of stressful factors (from infection to physical activity), which is consistent with a well-known concept about OA as a "stress hormone" in insects. However, for more than 10 years, there have been no general works devoted to a modulating role of octopamine in connection with different types of complex behavior in insects, including under stressful conditions. On the basis of published data, it was demonstrated how the activity of octopaminergic system is associated with the adaptation to physical activity, modulation of aggressive behavior in a situation of intraspecific conflict, avoidance behavior when meeting a predator, and feeding and search behavior in conditions of starvation. It was concluded that octopamine at different levels (from modulation of the work of neuronal ensembles and receptors to energy metabolism) is involved in providing the adaptive responses of insects to a wide range of stressful situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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