Department of Zoology

Principal Investigators

Research area - Neurobiology

First, I analyse the neuronal mechanisms by which a nervous system generates and controls natural movements. I study the functioning of the underlying neuronal networks in insects where it is possible to relate the actions of individual known neurones directly to the movements they control. What are the properties, connections and actions of the small but numerous local interneurons which includes those that do not normally spike and those that normally do spike. I analyse the role that these interneurons play in the integration of mechanosensory signals from the legs, and the way in which they contribute to the generation of motor patterns. The main approach is to record the intracellular activity of neurones during a defined movement, to reveal their morphology by dye injection for the light and electron microscope, and to reveal putative transmitters by immunocytochemistry.

Second, I seek to understand the mechanisms by which animals with the same genome can exist in two different forms that differ in behaviour and appearance. I analyse these phenotypic variations in locusts which can exist in either a solitary or a gregarious form. The transition from solitary to gregarious can be effected by short periods of stimulation of hairs on the a particular region of a hind leg. The resulting behavioural changes are apparent in 4 hrs and are accompanied by changes in the properties of known neurons and in the chemistry of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators in the central nervous system.

Third, I study the interactions between motor patterns and the muscles and skeleton in rapid and powerful jumping movements. This involves high speed imaging of the movements of insects, recordings from muscles to reveal their actions, and analysis of the mechanics of the joints, and the ability of the skeleton to store energy. The evolution of these jumping mechanisms is being analysed in plant sucking bugs.

Research group - Insect Neurobiology

Selected publications

• Burrows, M. (2007) Anatomy of the hind legs and actions of their muscles during jumping in leafhopper insects. J. Exp Biol. 210: 3590-3600.
• Burrows, M. (2007) Kinematics of jumping in leafhopper insects (Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha, Cicadellidae). J. Exp Biol. 210:3579-3589.
• Burrows, M., Hartung, V. and Hoch, H. (2007) Jumping behaviour in a Gondwanan relict insect. J. Exp. Biol. 210: 3311-3318.
• Rogers, S.M., Krapp, H.G., Burrows, M. and Matheson, T. (2007) Compensatory plasticity at an identified synapse tunes a visuo-motor pathway. J. Neuroscience 25: 4621-4633.
• Niven, J. E., Graham, C.M. and Burrows, M. (2007) Diversity and evolution of the insect ventral nerve cord. Ann. Rev. Entomol. 53: 14.1-14.19.
• Burrows, M. (2007) Neural control and coordination of jumping in froghopper insects. J. Neurophysiology. 97 : 320-330.
• Burrows M. (2006) Morphology and action of the hind leg joints controlling jumping in froghopper insects. J. Exp. Biol.  209: 4622-4637.
• Burrows M. (2006) Jumping performance of froghopper insects. J. Exp. Biol. 209: 4607-4621.
• Braunig, P and Burrows, M. (2004) Projection patterns of posterior dorsal unpaired median neurons of the locust subesophageal ganglion. J. Comp. Neurol. 478: 164-175.
• Braunig, P., Burrows, M. and Morris, O.T. (2004) Properties of descending dorsal unpaired median (DUM) neurons of the locust suboesophageal ganglion. Acta. Biologica Hungarica 55: 13-19.
• Rogers, S. M. Matheson, T. Sasaki, K. Kendrick, K. Simpson, S.J. and Burrows, M. (2004) Substantial changes in central nervous system neurotransmitters and neuromodulators accompany phase change in the locust. J. Exp. Biol. 207: 3603-17.
• Rogers , S. M. Matheson, T. Despland, E. Dodgson, T. Burrows, M. and Simpson, S. J.(2003) Mechanosensory-induced behavioural gregarization in the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria. J. Exp. Biol. 206: 3991-4002.
• Niven, J. E. and Burrows, M. (2003) Spike width reduction modifies the dynamics of short-term depression at a central synapse in the locust. J. Neurosci. 23: 7461-7469.
• Burrows, M. (2003) Froghopper insects leap to new heights. Nature 424: 509.
• Bevan , S and Burrows, M.(2003) Localisation of Even-skipped in the mature CNS of the locust, Schistocerca gregaria . Cell Tissue Res. 313: 237-244.
• Morris, O. and Burrows, M. (2003) Jumping and kicking in bush crickets. (2003) J. Exp. Biol. 206: 1035-1049.
• Sasaki, K. and Burrows, M. (2003) Proprioceptors monitoring forces in a locust hind leg during kicking form negative feedback loops with flexor tibiae motor neurons. J. Exp. Biol. 206: 759-769.