Special Topic Issue: Brain, Behavior and Evolution 2009, Vol. 74, No. 3
Molluscan nervous systems have played significant historical roles in neuroscience research and continue to serve as important models for learning, memory, motor control, and recovery from injury. They have a number of unique features that make them amenable to neuroscience research; in particular, gastropod molluscs have identifiable neurons that have large cell bodies and form discrete neural circuits.
Research on gastropods has led to general insights into responses to neural injury, which shows striking similarities to neural plasticity during learning. Molluscs also provide insights into the evolution of nervous systems. There has been a considerable conservation of molecular machinery across phyla as well as a remarkable convergence in the complex nervous systems of cephalopods and vertebrates.
Molluscan Neuroscience offers a valuable and fascinating source of information for all neuroscientists and for anyone with an interest in comparative studies and in the evolution of nervous systems.
- Preface to Molluscan Neurobiology: Recent Advances and New Vistas: Katz, P.S
- Developing Nervous Systems in Molluscs: Navigating the Twists and Turns of a Complex Life Cycle: Croll, R.P
- On the Independent Origins of Complex Brains and Neurons: Moroz, L.L
- Evolutionary Conservation of the Signaling Proteins Upstream of Cyclic AMP-Dependent Kinase and Protein Kinase C in Gastropod Mollusks: Sossin, W.S. Abrams, T.W.
- Molluscan Memory of Injury: Evolutionary Insights into Chronic Pain and Neurological Disorders: Walters, E.T. Moroz, L.L
- Comparative Neurobiology of Feeding in the Opisthobranch Sea Slug, Aplysia, and the Pulmonate Snail, Helisoma: Evolutionary Considerations: Wentzell, M.M. Martinez-Rubio, C. Miller, M.W. Murphy, A.D
- The Evolution of Flexible Behavioral Repertoires in Cephalopod Molluscs: Grasso, F.W. Basil, J.A..
- Author Index
- Subject Index