Behavioral development occurs in many species of invertebrates and vertebrates, including humans. As individuals age and pass through different stages of their lives, their behavior changes, often in predictable ways. Often an individual's behavior increases in complexity and is influenced by learning and memory. A major challenge in biology is to understand how genetic and environmental factors act on the brain to regulate the development of behavior. The goal of this project is to study the structural plasticity of the brain and to understand how endocrine-mediated behavioral development affects the use of memory. Although insects are not usually thought of as representative species for understanding complex behaviors, the honey bee in an excellent model with which to study behavioral development. Bees have a relatively simple nervous system that underlies a rich behavioral repertoire; bees exhibit division of labor within the colony and extensively use memory during orientation and foraging. The bee will thus be used to couple established techniques in neuroscience, endocrinology, and behavior in an effort to understand the factors that transform a naive bee into an experienced one. The first line of study will examine the ontogeny of orientation flights in honey bees. These flights occur prior to the initiation of foraging and allow the bee to learn visual aspects of the environment for use during foraging. The second line of study will determine if orientation behavior is dependent upon exposure to juvenile hormone, an insect hormone known to control development. The third line of inquiry will determine if the transition to orientation and foraging is dependent upon the neuropils of the mushroom bodies. The principle significance of this research is that it will advance our knowledge of how the developing brain acquires and stores visual memories.
