Dr Berthold Hedwig University positionReader Dr Berthold Hedwig is pleased to consider applications from prospective PhD students. DepartmentsHome pagehttp://www.zoo.cam.ac.uk/zoostaf... (personal home page) Research ThemesInterestsI analyse the neural mechanisms underlying acoustic communication in insects which use species-specific sounds for mate attraction. I use behavioural, neurophysiological and optical imaging techniques with the aim to understand: 1. The neural mechanisms generating the motor patterns underlying sound production, e.g. which brain neurons control the behaviour? Which changes in the nervous systems of different species lead to the expression of species-specific motor patterns? 2. Processing of auditory signals in the central and peripheral nervous system. Which cellular and network properties establish the recognition of species-specific sound patterns? 3. Ca2+ dynamics in auditory and motor pathways: Imaging Ca2+ changes in identified neurons indicate how changes in cytosolic calcium levels contribute to auditory processing or motor pattern generation? As an advantage of the insect nervous system, we can record and study identified neurons in semi-intact, behaving animals.  Intracellular staining of a locust motoneuron Click image to view full-size Research Focus
EquipmentBehavioural analysis Calcium imaging Computational modelling Confocal microscopy Electrophysiological recording techniques Intracellular recording Microscopy Collaborators
Associated News ItemsKey publicationsHedwig B (2016), “ Sequential Filtering Processes Shape Feature Detection in Crickets: A Framework for Song Pattern Recognition” Frontiers doi: 10.3389/fphys.2016.00046 ter Hofstede HM, Schöneich S, Robillard T, Hedwig B (2015), “Evolution of a Communication System by Sensory Exploitation of Startle Behavior” Current Biology doi:10.1016/j.cub.2015.10.064 Kostarakos K, Hedwig B (2012), “Calling song recognition in female crickets: temporal tuning of identified brain neurons matches behavior.” J Neurosci 32(28):9601-12 Details Schöneich S, Hedwig B (2012), “Cellular basis for singing motor pattern generation in the field cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus DeGeer).” Brain Behav 2(6):707-25 Details Baden T, Hedwig B (2010), “Primary afferent depolarization and frequency processing in auditory afferents.” J Neurosci 30(44):14862-9 Details Schöneich S, Hedwig B (2010), “Hyperacute Directional Hearing and Phonotactic Steering in the Cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus deGeer).” PLoS One 5(12):e15141 Details Poulet JF, Hedwig B (2002), “A corollary discharge maintains auditory sensitivity during sound production.” Nature 418(6900):872-6 Details Hedwig B (2000), “Control of cricket stridulation by a command neuron: efficacy depends on the behavioral state.” J Neurophysiol 83(2):712-22 Details Hedwig B (1994), “A cephalothoracic command system controls stridulation in the acridid grasshopper Omocestus viridulus L.” J Neurophysiol 72(4):2015-25 Details Publications2014Seagraves KM, Hedwig B (2014), “Phase shifts in binaural stimuli provide directional cues for sound localisation in the field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus.” J Exp Biol 217(Pt 13):2390-8 Details 2013Zorovi? M, Hedwig B (2013), “Descending brain neurons in the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus (de Geer): auditory responses and impact on walking.” J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 199(1):25-34 Details 2012Busch KE, Laurent P, Soltesz Z, Murphy RJ, Faivre O, Hedwig B, Thomas M, Smith HL, de Bono M (2012), “Tonic signaling from O? sensors sets neural circuit activity and behavioral state.” Nat Neurosci 15(4):581-91 Details Fabre CC, Hedwig B, Conduit G, Lawrence PA, Goodwin SF, Casal J (2012), “Substrate-borne vibratory communication during courtship in Drosophila melanogaster.” Curr Biol 22(22):2180-5 Details 2011Schöneich S, Hedwig B (2011), “Neural basis of singing in crickets: central pattern generation in abdominal ganglia.” Naturwissenschaften 98(12):1069-73 Details Witney AG, Hedwig B (2011), “Kinematics of phonotactic steering in the walking cricket Gryllus bimaculatus (de Geer).” J Exp Biol 214(Pt 1):69-79 Details 2009Baden T, Hedwig B (2009), “Dynamics of free intracellular Ca2+ during synaptic and spike activity of cricket tibial motoneurons.” Eur J Neurosci 29(7):1357-68 Details 2008Baden T, Hedwig B (2008), “Front leg movements and tibial motoneurons underlying auditory steering in the cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus deGeer).” J Exp Biol 211(Pt 13):2123-33 Details 2007Baden T, Hedwig B (2007), “Neurite-specific Ca2+ dynamics underlying sound processing in an auditory interneurone.” Dev Neurobiol 67(1):68-80 Details Poulet JF, Hedwig B (2007), “New insights into corollary discharges mediated by identified neural pathways.” Trends Neurosci 30(1):14-21 Details 2006Hedwig B (2006), “Pulses, patterns and paths: neurobiology of acoustic behaviour in crickets.” J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 192(7):677-89 Details Poulet JF, Hedwig B (2006), “The cellular basis of a corollary discharge.” Science 311(5760):518-22 Details 2005Hedwig B, Poulet JF (2005), “Mechanisms underlying phonotactic steering in the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus revealed with a fast trackball system.” J Exp Biol 208(Pt 5):915-27 Details Poulet JF, Hedwig B (2005), “Auditory orientation in crickets: pattern recognition controls reactive steering.” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 102(43):15665-9 Details 2004Hedwig B, Poulet JF (2004), “Complex auditory behaviour emerges from simple reactive steering.” Nature 430(7001):781-5 Details 2003Nabatiyan A, Poulet JF, de Polavieja GG, Hedwig B (2003), “Temporal pattern recognition based on instantaneous spike rate coding in a simple auditory system.” J Neurophysiol 90(4):2484-93 Details Poulet JF, Hedwig B (2003), “Corollary discharge inhibition of ascending auditory neurons in the stridulating cricket.” J Neurosci 23(11):4717-25 Details Poulet JF, Hedwig B (2003), “A corollary discharge mechanism modulates central auditory processing in singing crickets.” J Neurophysiol 89(3):1528-40 Details 2002Römer H, Hedwig B, Ott SR (2002), “Contralateral inhibition as a sensory bias: the neural basis for a female preference in a synchronously calling bushcricket, Mecopoda elongata.” Eur J Neurosci 15(10):1655-62 Details 2001Poulet JF, Hedwig B (2001), “Tympanic membrane oscillations and auditory receptor activity in the stridulating cricket Gryllus bimaculatus.” J Exp Biol 204(Pt 7):1281-93 Details 2000Hedwig B (2000), “A highly sensitive opto-electronic system for the measurement of movements.” J Neurosci Methods 100(1-2):165-71 Details 1999Wenzel B, Hedwig B (1999), “Neurochemical control of cricket stridulation revealed by pharmacological microinjections into the brain.” J Exp Biol 202(Pt 16):2203-2216 Details 1997Heinrich R, Hedwig B, Elsner N (1997), “Cholinergic activation of stridulatory behaviour in the grasshopper Omocestus viridulus (L.)” J Exp Biol 200(Pt 9):1327-37 Details Knepper M, Hedwig B (1997), “NEUROLAB, a PC-program for the processing of neurobiological data.” Comput Methods Programs Biomed 52(1):75-7 Details 1996Hedwig B, Burrows M (1996), “Presynaptic inhibition of sensory neurons during kicking movements in the locust.” J Neurophysiol 75(3):1221-32 Details Ocker W, Hedwig B (1996), “Interneurones involved in stridulatory pattern generation in the grasshopper Chorthippus mollis (Charp.)” J Exp Biol 199(Pt 3):653-62 Details 1995Meyer J, Hedwig B (1995), “The influence of tracheal pressure changes on the responses of the tympanal membrane and auditory receptors in the locust Locusta migratoria L.” J Exp Biol 198(Pt 6):1327-39 Details Ocker W, Hedwig B, Elsner N (1995), “Pharmacological induction and modulation of stridulation in two species of acridid grasshoppers” J Exp Biol 198(Pt 8):1701-10 Details 1992Hedwig B, Knepper M (1992), “NEUROLAB, a comprehensive program for the analysis of neurophysiological and behavioural data.” J Neurosci Methods 45(1-2):135-48 Details Hedwig B, Knepper M (1992), “Separation of synaptic and spike activity in intracellular recordings for selective analysis.” J Neurosci Methods 42(1-2):83-90 Details |