Butterfly Brain

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Researching the clinical features and optimal management strategies for patients with a butterfly glioblastoma, we were unable to identify a formal definition or any reports of case series or cohort studies describing the clinical course of these patients. The results of our literature search consisted primarily of isolated case reports, or reports of other pathologies that could mimic this disease process. The limitation of available literature on this presentation of glioblastoma underscores the need for such a cohort to be studied, and its clinical course reported. Since this a cohort is not currently available, we are unable to compare the results of our review to such a control. David Blas-Boria, Neurology Section, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, USA.

Dissections of Larval, Pupal and Adult Butterfly Brains for

Metamorphosis is a bewitching natural phenomenon. In biology, it refers to the impressive transformation of shape, structure, or both after proceeding from the juvenile larval stage to the adult stage in an individual’s life cycle. Circular statistics were performed in MATLAB and Oriana (Version 4.01, Kovach Computing Services, Anglesey, Wales, UK). Linear statistics were computed in GraphPad Prism 9 (GraphPad Software, San Diego, CA, USA). Sample sizes were not statistically pre-determined. Data distributions were tested for normality with a Shapiro–Wilk test. Normally distributed data were further analyzed with parametric statistical tests, while non-normally distributed data were tested with non-parametric tests. A Rayleigh test testing for uniformity of circular data was used to examine whether the flights were biased toward any direction. To statistically compare the angular tuning measured prior to and after compass perturbation across compass and putative GD neurons, we compared the correlation values obtained by correlating the angular tuning prior to sun displacement with the one measured after sun displacement with a two-sided unpaired t-test (Fig. 1j). Heading offsets and circular variances of pfds were statistically compared with a two-sided Mann–Whitney U test (Fig. 1k and Fig. S7c). Variations in spike rate across compass and putative GD neurons were also compared with a two-sided Mann–Whitney U test (Fig. S8). Changes in goal directions induced by aversive conditioning were statistically Neurons are comprised of a cell body (soma) and neural processes ( axons and dendrites). They are structurally classified based on how many processes they have: unipolar, pseudounipolar, bipolar, and multipolar. The axons of most neurons are wrapped with a white substance called myelin. Myelinated axons are found in the white matter, giving it its colour and distinguishing it from grey matter (neuronal cell bodies). Spinal nerves are the major output of the spinal cord. They arise in pairs from corresponding spinal cord segments. There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves; 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral and 1 coccygeal It’s important to know that there is nothing you could have done, or avoided doing, that would have caused you or somebody you know to develop a brain tumour.

Butterfly gliomas most frequently occur in the frontal lobes, crossing via the genu of the corpus callosum, however, posterior butterfly gliomas are also encountered. Treatment and prognosis Some people who have had a brain tumour can develop side effects from treatment months or years later, such as:

How a Butterfly Brain Adapts During Metamorphosis

We have seen similar results in human beings who spend their days completing visual and spatial awareness tasks, such as taxi drivers who show an increase in brain size after learning multiple routes around the city. So, the next time you drive to the supermarket or meander towards your favorite café, think about all the ways humans and our insect counterparts may be experiencing brain evolution. Especially as the impacts of climate change and human development reduce food sources for butterflies and humans, it is critical we remember the importance of finding fresh, nutrient-rich food. Some of the best questions are from young scientists. Take for example this question about butterfly brains from a 5th grade student. Greer asked if a butterfly's brain is the same as when it was a caterpillar. Now that is a fantastic question. CRITICAL STEP The head will tend to float on the surface of the saline solution at first. It is critical to ensure it is fully submerged (by securing the head between the ends of the forceps and then sinking it in the plate so that the saline solution fully covers the head). This ensures that the brain will be exposed within the solution and not outside of it, reducing tissue damage; We were unable to establish a direct correlation between tumor volume and presenting KPS. However, our results do show a tendency towards longer survival for patients presenting with a KPS greater or equal to 80. It would be important to determine in which patients’ poor functional status were due to mass effect versus tumor destruction of vital and eloquent areas of brain (such as the hypothalamus or basal nuclei). In the former scenario, aggressive decompression would be predicted to improve functional capacity but would likely be of little consequence in the latter. Such information would help guide surgical decision making by helping to determine which patients with low KPS would be most likely to benefit from an aggressive procedure.

CRITICAL STEP Be careful not to apply too much pressure when scraping near the eye, as a slight increase in pressure will damage the optic lobe. This step will reduce the number of setae floating on the dissecting solution, and allow for easier exposure of the brain tissue in the later steps;

brain tumour (brain cancer) - NHS Malignant brain tumour (brain cancer) - NHS

of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore; [email protected] (Y.P.T.); [email protected] (A.M.) This study proved that the neural tissue responsible for taste, smell, memory and learning remain intact during metamorphosis. Anatomical evidence also supports this finding. Corpora pedunculata or mushroom bodies are paired structures found in an insect’s brain. At the larval stage, mushroom bodies are responsible for ‘tasting’ with the antennae, along with affecting learning and memory. In the adult stage, they are not only responsible for ‘tasting’ and learning, but also for ‘smelling’. There are lots of types of brain tumour. They have different names depending on where they are in the brain.Generally, if you’re well enough, you’ll have neurosurgery to take out as much of the tumour as possible. Glioblastoma brain tumours are sometimes called glioblastoma multiforme, GBM, GBM4 or a grade 4 astrocytoma. Brain evolution in the Heliconius butterfly is linked to their specific feeding preferences and foraging behaviors. To perturb the butterfly compass, we performed a similar experiment as the one performed in Drosophila 3. However, instead of a vertical bar, we used the virtual sun as reference point of the insect compass. In the presence of the virtual sun, the butterfly flew for 9 min, and we changed the angular position of the sun every 90 s. In 15 experiments we changed the sun position in decreasing steps of 180°, 90°, 45°, 23°, and 15°. For the remaining 17 experiments, we exclusively changed the sun position in relatively large steps of 90° (3 times/experiment) or 180° (2 times/experiment). Preferred headings were measured every 90 s. Measuring tuning directedness (mean vector length)