DFG Research Group

Prof. Dr. Paul A. Stevenson

DFG Research Group

My work on the control of aggression by biogenic amines is integrated in the DFG Research Group FOR 1363. A Research Group (Forschergruppe) is a working collective of several scientists following a common research program and receives special funding from the German Research Council (DFG).

Biogenic amines act as “classical” neurotransmitters, neuromodulators or neurohormones in vertebrates and invertebrates. Consequently, they play a key role in regulating numerous physiological processes at all systemic levels and in controlling behaviour. Despite this functional importance, we are currently far from understanding the complex cellular and molecular actions of biogenic amines, the timing of their release during sequences of behaviour and the full spectrum of processes that are influenced by them. In order to fully understand the actions of biogenic amines one has to study their actions on all levels: (i) on the cellular level where biogenic amine receptors and their signalling cascades provide the most basic and fundamental action, (ii) on the network level of which the afore mentioned cells are components and determine the network properties, and (iii) on the behavioural level where many networks as well as neuromodulatory/neurohormonal systems cooperate to produce meaningful outputs which are adaptive for particular conditions in a developmental, ontogenetic, environmental or behavioural context. To come to a comprehensive understanding of how biogenic amines govern and control behaviour, each of the three levels will be analysed in detail. By cooperation between our groups we aim to bridge these levels. Finally, a synthesis of our results should lead to a model of how biogenic amines orchestrate an animal‘s behaviour including its physiological condition.

Biogenic Amines in Insects: Coordination of Physiological Processes & Behavior