Activity modulation in cockroach sensillum: the role of octopamine

The plasticity of sensory perception is provided partially by modulation of receptor cells. The electrical activity of American cockroach chemoreceptor cells in response to sex pheromone was measured under the influence of octopamine treatment and tracheal anoxia. Both experimental procedures caused decreased electroantennograms but affected spike activity differently: octopamine treatment increased firing rate, whereas anoxia decreased it. Spike frequency under octopamine treatment was elevated in response to pheromone stimulation and at background activity. Experiments with perfusion of isolated antennae showed a direct effect of octopamine on spike activity of pheromone sensilla, and excluded the possibility of indirect effects via octopamine-dependent release of other biologically active substances. The suggested mechanism of octopamine action is receptor cell membrane depolarization.