Figure 6. Activating mechanosensory neurons during the critical period (CP) rescues excitation:inhibition (E:I) balance due to increasing activity during embryogenesis.

(A) Schematic showing stimulation of mechanosensory chordotonal neurons (ch) by vibration during the CP (17–19 hr after egg laying [AEL]). (B) Stimulating ch neurons during the CP, but not during 15–17 hr AEL or 19–21 hr AEL, significantly increases mature larval (L3) recovery duration from electroshock-induced seizure. CS is unmanipulated wild-type (Canton-S) controls. (C–E) Exposure to picrotoxin (PTX) during embryogenesis significantly increases mature larval (L3) recovery duration from electroshock-induced seizure, increases network synchronicity, and increases the strength of excitatory (A18a) inputs to motor neurons (aCC). All these effects are rescued by co-activation of ch neurons during the CP (PTX + Ch).

Figure 6—figure supplement 1. A custom-built device provides mechanical stimulation of chordotonal neurons.

(A) Image of the device, showing an Arduino Uno Rev 3 printed circuit board with microcontroller, which drives a speaker according to timings and frequency (i.e. 17–19 hr after egg laying [AEL] at 0.5 Hz) coded using C⁺⁺ in Arduino IDE, and with an amplitude adjusted using a potentiometer. (B) GCaMP imaging demonstrating activity in the chordotonal neurons prior to (left) and following (right) stimulation by the device (response shown is to 1 s tone at 80 dB). (C) Representative trace of the activity shown in (B).