Investigation of the effects of lithium on locomotor activity, circadian rhythm, and learning using computational methods in honey bees

Date

2024-10-31

Author

Erdem, Babür

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This thesis investigates the multifaceted effects of lithium chloride on honey bees (Apis mellifera), focusing on locomotor activity, circadian rhythm, and learning behaviors. Lithium is recognized for its potential as an acaricidal agent against the Varroa mite and its well-documented use in treating bipolar disorder in humans. Acute treatments revealed that lithium significantly reduced light-induced high locomotor activity but had no effect in constant darkness. Chronic exposure similarly decreased the high locomotor activity under constant light. Furthermore, chronic lithium treatment disrupted circadian rhythmicity, especially under constant darkness, while lengthening the circadian period under constant light conditions. The research also developed a novel video-tracking system to assess bee learning in an electric shock avoidance assay. This system enabled precise tracking of individual bees and their exposure to shocks. The effect of lithium on the learning success of honey bees, specifically affecting performance in aversive learning accompanied by reversal learning paradigm, was investigated using an electric shock conditioning assay. The results showed that while lithium did not affect initial learning (acquisition phase), it impaired learning during the reversal phase, indicating a dose-dependent reduction in adaptive behavior. Overall, the study improves our understanding of lithium’s multifaceted effects on honey bee behavior and physiology. These findings have important implications for its use in apiculture, particularly in Varroa mite control. Moreover, the study suggests honey bees as a valuable non-mammalian model for studying the behavioral effects of lithium, paralleling its role in treating bipolar disorder.

Subject Keywords

Honey Bee, Lithium, Locomotor Activity, Circadian Rhythm, Learning

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/112599

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis