The objective of this project is to investigate adaptations in the peripheral and central nervous systems of the naked mole-rat. Naked mole-rats have an unusual lifestyle in that they combine a fully subterranean existence with extreme sociality, and a proclivity for living in large numbers. Thus, in their crowded burrows where many animals share a limited air supply, these animals are exposed to the challenges of breathing exceptionally high levels of carbon dioxide and exceptionally low levels of oxygen. Initial studies have revealed that, behaviorally, naked mole-rats are extremely resistant to high carbon dioxide and low oxygen. The goals of the project now are to better understand the underlying mechanisms that make this resistance possible. The project uses a variety of methods including behavioral, electrophysiological, anatomical, and molecular techniques with an emphasis on moving freely between experiments that focus on neural mechanisms and those that focus on natural behaviors. The project also relies heavily on comparative data from closely and distantly related species that have evolved under different carbon dioxide and oxygen conditions. The expected impacts of this project include contributing to the understanding of the nervous system in general, and to adaptations to environmental challenges in particular. Also, the project will develop a new model system for studying the evolution of the nervous system and behavior. The project will provide training opportunities in systems neuroscience for both graduate and undergraduate students. The project will also enhance laboratory courses in that several laboratory exercises have been developed with these animals.
