Skip to main content

Mode of Action of Insecticides: Insights Gained from Neurophysiological Preparations of Intact or Dissected Insects

  • Chapter
Neurotoxicology of Insecticides and Pheromones

Abstract

The method used for bioassay of insecticidal activity is a vital cog in the wheel of structure-activity studies. An assay preparation which consists of recording muscle potentials from the dorsolongitudinal flight muscles of house fly gives sophisticated information on neural coordination in the thoracic ganglion with a relatively simple recording procedure. Quantitative responses are measured as the time from treatment until a disruption appears in neural coordination. The type of disruption in neural coordination gives a qualitative measure of poisoning. By applying compounds directly on the exposed thoracic ganglion, or the exposed and desheathed ganglion, some measure of intrinsic activity may be obtained. Using this approach, evidence for the mechanism of resistance to insecticides has been obtained for house fly strains resistant to organophosphates or pyrethroids, and intrinsic activity has been obtained for carbamates, organophosphates, pyrethroids and other chemicals with insecticidal activity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Adams, M.E., and T.A. Miller. 1978. Site of action of pyrethroids: Burst discharge in flight motor axons of house fly. Pestic. Biochem. Physiol. (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, M. 1978. A microscopical study of the innervation of flight muscles in the tsetse fly. J. Morphol. 155: 19–34.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, A.W.A. 1951. “Insect Control by Chemicals,” New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, A.W.A. 1963. Chemical Inquiries. In: “ Insect Pathology” Vol. I, ed. by E.A. Steinhaus, New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burt, P.E., and R.E. Goodchild. 1971. The site of action of Pyrethrin I in the nervous system of the cockroach Periplaneta americana. Entomol. Exp. Appl. 14: 179–189.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Camougis, G. 1973. Mode of action of pyrethrum on arthropod nerves. In: “Pyrethrum: The Natural Insecticide,” ed. by J.E. Treherne, New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coggshall, J.C. 1978. Neurons associated with the dorsal longitudinal flight muscles of Drosophila melanogaster. J. Comp. Neurol. 177: 707–720.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, B. 1971. “Flies and Disease” Vol. I, Princeton: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harcombe, E.S., and R.J. Wyman. 1977. Output pattern generation by Drosophila flight motoneurons. J. Neurophysiol. 40: 1066–1077.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hardie, J., and S.N. Irving. 1977. A preparation enriched with insect somatic, excitatory, neuromuscular terminals. Brain Res. 120: 138–140.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hart, R.J., C. Potter, and R.G. Wilson. 1977. Factors governing the toxicity of putative synaptic transmitters and their analogues when injected into the haemocoel of adult male Lucilia sericata.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heide, G. 1971. Die Funktion der nicht-fibrillären Flugmuskel von Calliphora. Teil I: Muskuläre Mechanismen der Flugsteuering und ihre nervöse Kontrolle. Zool. Jb. Abt. Allg. Zool. Physiol. 76: 9–137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ikeda, K., and W.D. Kaplan. 1974. Neurophysiological genetics in Drosophila melanogaster. Am. Zool. 14: 1055–1066.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ikeda, K., N. Hori, and T. Tsuruhara. 1975. Inhibitory command neuron releasing patterned motor activity in Drosophila melanogaster. Fed. Proa. 34: 359.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ikeda, K., N. Hori, and T. Tsuruhara. 1976. Motor innervation of the dorsal longitudinal flight muscle of Sarcophaga bullata. Am. Zool. 16: 179.

    Google Scholar 

  • King, D. 1977. An interneuron in Drosophila synapses with a peripheral nerve onto the dorsal longitudinal muscle motoneurons. Neurosoi. Abstr. 3: 180.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, T.A. 1976. Distinguishing between carbamate and organophosphate insecticide poisoning in house flies by symtomology. Pestio. Biochem. Physiol. 6: 307–319.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, T., and J.M. Kennedy. 1972. Flight motor activity of house flies as affected by temperature and insecticides. Pestio. Biochem. Physiol. 2: 206–222.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, T., and J.M. Kennedy. 1973. In vivo measurement of house fly temperature, flight muscle potentials, heartbeat and locomotion during insecticide poisoning. Pestio. Biochem. Physiol. 3: 370–383.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, T., and M.E. Adams. 1977. Central vs. peripheral action of pyrethroids on the housefly nervous system. In: “Synthetic Pyrethroids,” ed. by M. Elliott, ACS Symposium Series, No. 42, pp. 98-115.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, T., L.J. Bruner, and T.R. Fukuto. 1971. The effect of light, temperature, and DDT poisoning on housefly locomotion and flight muscle activity. Pestie. Biochem. Physiol. 1: 483–491.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, T., J.M. Kennedy, C. Collins, and T.R. Fukuto. 1973. An examination of temporal differences in the action of carbamate and organophosphorus insecticides on house flies. Pestie. Biochem. Physiol. 3: 447–455.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, T., M. Maynard, and J.M. Kennedy. 1978. Structure-activity studies of picrotoxinin. Pestic. Biochem. Physiol. (submitted).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mulloney, B. 1969. Interneurons in the central nervous system of flies and the start of flight. Z. Vergl. Physiologie 64: 243–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mulloney, B. 1970a. Organization of flight motoneurons of Diptera. J. Neurophysiol. 33: 86–95.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mulloney, B. 1970b. Impulse patterns in the flight motor neurons of Bombus californicus and Oneopeltus fasciatus. J. Exp. Biol. 52: 59–77.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mulloney, B. 1976. Control of flight and related behavior by the central nervous systems of Insects. In: “Insect Flight,” ed. by R.C. Rainey, New York: Wiley, pp. 16–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nachtigall, W. 1968. Elektrophysiologische und kinematische Untersuchungen über Start und Stop des Flugmotors von Fliegen. Z. Vergl. Physiol. 61: 1–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nachtigall, W., and D.M. Wilson. 1967. Neuromuscular control of dipteran flight. J. Exp. Biol. 47: 77–97.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Narahashi, T. 1971. Effects of insecticides on excitable tissues. Adv. Insect Physiol. 8: 1–93.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ramade, F. 1968. Contribution à l’étude du mode d’action de certains insecticides de synthèse, plus particulièrement du lindane, et des phénomènes de resistance à ces composés chez Musca domestica L. Ann. Inst. Nat. Agv. Paris, (N.S.) 5: 1–268.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsukamoto, M., T. Narahashi, and I. Yamasaki. 1965. Genetic control of low nerve sensitivity to DDT in insecticide-resistant houseflies. Botyu-Kagaku 30: 128–132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tung, A.S.-C., and W.-Y. Lee. 1968. The comparative study of the central nervous system between larvae and adults of house flies, Musca domestica L. (Muscidae, Diptera, Hexapoda). Bull. Inst. Zool. Academia Sinica 7: 7–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vater, G. 1961. Vergleichende Untersuchungen über die Morphologie des Nervensystems der Dipteran. Z. Wiss Zool. 167: 137–196.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamasaki, T., and T. Narahashi. 1962. Nerve sensitivity and resistance to DDT in houseflies. Jap. J. Appl. Entomol. Zool. 6: 293–297.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1979 Plenum Press, New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Miller, T.A. (1979). Mode of Action of Insecticides: Insights Gained from Neurophysiological Preparations of Intact or Dissected Insects. In: Narahashi, T. (eds) Neurotoxicology of Insecticides and Pheromones. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-0970-3_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-0970-3_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-0972-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-0970-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics