Deutocerebrum

The animal kingdom can be classified into invertebrates and vertebrates. In the invertebrates, there is no backbone, and open circulation systems often characterize them. This particular group can be further classified into several families, out of which is the arthropod. The organisms belonging to this group have a segmented body, chitinous exoskeleton, open circulation system (absence of heart chambers), and multiple joints distributed throughout the body. Since the arthropods are pretty advanced compared to the lower invertebrates, their organ systems work quite differently. One of the main points to be considered while discussing this category is neural coordination and the presence of different parts of the cerebrum, the Deutocerebrum.

What is the nervous system and what are its main functions?

The nervous system is one of the major organ systems in every living organism. It controls all the neural activities like transfer of the messages, electric impulse conduction, etc. Usually, this system comprises the following units:

1. Nerves – long bundles of fibers that extend from one point to the other
2. Ganglion or ganglia – these are clusters of neurons formed at specific points

iii. Brain- it often includes the main organ in the nervous system and controls both sensory and motor functions

Introduction to the neural system of arthropods

The best way to understand the Deutocerebrum and its associated aspects is to have an idea about the overall arthropod nervous system. The central nervous system consists of a double rail of ganglia in these organisms. Connectives and commissures connect these in the longitudinal and lateral plans, respectively. The brain sits right at the top of the head, from where several ventral nerve cords run through the organism’s entire body. Instead of straight nerves, they are formed as rungs, and each segmented body has one rung, which almost creates a ladder-like system.

There are two different types of neurons: in the ganglia, all the neural bundles are jumbled up simultaneously. The neural cords spread out in different directions, which carry forward the stimuli and electrical impulses, thereby ensuring a proper coordination system in the arthropods.

• Sensory neurons are involved in transferring stimuli related to senses like vision, taste, smell, and more.
•  Motor neurons are concerned with transferring messages about movements.

What is Deutocerebrum?

In the arthropods, the esophagus has three different ganglia or a bunch of nerves-

• Protocerebrum
• Deutocerebrum
• Tritocerebrum

The Deutocerebrum consists of the sensory neurons that coordinate with the arthropods’ antenna. It has two lobes – the dorsal and antennal lobes. Apart from having the sensory neurons, a couple of motor neurons are in the antennal lobes.

How does the deutocerebrum function?

The deutocerebrum is one of the parts of an arthropod brain that performs some primary functions of the organisms. In this section, we will state these functions for better clarification.

Mechanosensation

One of the primary functions of the Deutocerebrum Is the mechanosensation or conversion of mechanical stimulus into electrical neural signals. The mechanical stimulation is usually obtained from motor neurons of the arthropods that pick up any movement. This stimulus is then conducted to the central nervous system to get converted or transduced into electrical impulses, which the neurons or the ganglia will perceive. It is the Deutocerebrum that takes part in the conversion of the stimulus.

Interaction with the antenna

The deutocerebrum organ is located in the anterior part of the arthropod’s head. Its primary function is to receive neural messages from the antennal nerves. Two branches are created when they enter the brain – the dorsoventral and ventrocaudal. These neural branches interact with a different portion of the Deutocerebrum and establish proper coordination.

The seat of the corpus callosum

The deutocerebrum is formed with several minors to medium-sized neural bundles. These are known as neuropils. You will find two significant neuropils in this organ – the shorter ONs and the corpus callosum. It is the corpus callosum whose primary function is to form a connection between different parts of the brain.

Helping to detect the smell

Deutocerebrum study revealed that the olfactory neuropils present in the organ could sometimes help detect smell and fragrances. This particular property can be seen clearly in the centipedes, which further explains why the arthropods can easily find different sources of odors.

Chemosensory functions

In organisms like the Malacostracan crustaceans, the Deutocerebrum can help convert chemical stimuli into electrical impulses, which can then be inferred by the central nervous system for further evaluation. This particular property is present only in the mentioned category of arthropods.

Conclusion

Arthropods form the primary section of the invertebrates, so studying their organ systems is crucial for most scientists. This species can be divided into several taxas, and each has different organ systems and functionalities. Therefore, understanding the proper deutocerebrum definition can be a little tricky. Besides, studies are still going on to know how this particular organ behaves and interacts with other brain parts, such as the ventral nerve cords, antenna, and ganglia.