Ashbaugh, R. C. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2020

Swimming direction of the Glass Catfish, Kryptopterus bicirrhis, is responsive to magnetic stimulation

Several marine species have developed a magnetic perception that is essential for navigation and detection of prey and predators. One of these species is the transparent glass catfish that contains an ampullary organ dedicated to sense magnetic fields. Here we examine the behavior of the glass catfish in response to static magnetic fields which will provide valuable insight on function of this magnetic response. By utilizing state of the art animal tracking software and artificial intelligence approaches, we quantified the effects of magnetic fields on the swimming direction of glass catfish. The results demonstrate that glass catfish placed in a radial arm maze, consistently swim away from magnetic fields over 20 {micro}T and show adaptability to changing magnetic field direction and location.

animal behavior and cognition↗

bioRxiv2019

Non-invasive neuromodulation using rTMS and the Electromagnetic-Preceptive Gene (EPG) facilitates plasticity after nerve injury

Peripheral nerve injury leads to altered cortical excitation-inhibition balance which is associated with sensory dysfunctions. We tested if non-invasive repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) which has shown to induce neuronal excitability, and cell-specific magnetic activation via the Electromagnetic-perceptive gene (EPG) which is a novel gene that was identified and cloned from Kryptopterrus bicirrhis and demonstrated to evoke neural responses when magnetically stimulated, can restore cortical excitability. A battery of behavioral tests, fMRI and immunochemistry were performed in the weeks following limb denervation in rats. The results demonstrate that neuromodulation significantly improved long-term mobility, decreased anxiety and enhanced neuroplasticity. The study also identifies the acute post-injury phase as a critical time for intervention. Moreover, the results implicate EPG as an effective cell-specific neuromodulation approach. Together, these results reinforce the growing amount of evidence from human and animal studies that are establishing neuromodulation as an effective strategy to promote plasticity and rehabilitation.

neuroscience↗