We focus on acoustically communicating insects to explore how the nervous system controls the generation of sound signals, and how nerve cells in the brain process these signals to allow species-specific recognition. In this way we use these insects as model systems to reveal fundamental principles of neuronal processing at the level of networks, nerve cells and molecules.
Current research topics include:
- Lifetime development of phonotactic behaviour
- The neuromuscular basis of acoustic steering in walking crickets
- Studying the neurons for pattern recognition in the brain
- The control of singing by command neurons
- The neuronal basis of species-specific singing behaviour
- Calcium imaging of auditory processing
Key Publications
Hedwig B and Sarmiento-Ponce EJ (2017) Song pattern recognition in crickets based on a delay-line and coincidence-detector mechanism. Proceedings Roy Soc B. 284:20170745; doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3768695.
Isaacson MD and Hedwig B. (2017) Neuroanatomical and functional labeling by tracer electrophoresis through the nerve sheath. Scientific Reports, 7:40433, DOI: 10.1038/srep40433
Schöneich S, Kostarakos K and Hedwig B (2015) An Auditory Feature Detection Circuit for Sound Pattern Recognition. Sci Adv 1(8) e1500325, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1500325
Baden T and Hedwig B (2010) Primary afferent depolarisation and frequency processing in auditory afferents. J Neurosci, 30:14862–14869
Poulet, JFA and Hedwig B (2006) The cellular basis of a corollary discharge. Science 311: 518-522