Decision making in crickets: behavioral choice and neuronal correlates

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Matthias Hennig, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Cognitive, Systems and Behavioural Neurobiology
• Term: from 2012 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 226072900

Animals and humans have to make decisions in choice situations of variable context to maximize their utility function. These decisions are often complicated by the fact that there are several available options which differ in a number of attributes, and that no single option is superior over others. The present proposal suggests a model system which allows testing predictions following absolute and relative decision making both in behavior and at the neuronal level, using female crickets and their decision in acoustic mate choice behavior. Since previous work has shown that mate choice in females is based on the evaluation of activity in only two identified pairs of interneurons, we can use a combination of behavioural and neurophysiological tools to test a number of current hypotheses on decision making. We will determine the response- and trade-off functions for different attributes of an acoustic signal in a choice situation and can then test, whether the decision circuitry in the female is based on absolute standards or on relative ones. These experimental series will enable us to determine whether the processing of acoustic signals takes places in a serial or parallel manner with respect to recognition and localization. Arena trials and outdoor tests will link decision making in a standard environment to a more complex and realistic context. Linking the results of behavioural tests to neuronal activity we will be able to test different hypotheses about the neural computation based on the discharge patterns in two opposing neurons underlying decision making.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Austria
• Participating Person: Professor Dr. Heiner Römer