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Cited by 197Marine Invertebrate Physiology and EcologyNeurology and Historical StudiesNeurobiology and Insect Physiology Research

The Elementary Nervous System Revisited

Mackie, G.O.·1990·American Zoologist
DOI 10.1093/icb/30.4.907
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Abstract

Parker's theory of the origin of the nervous system is discussed along with later interpretations. Attention today has shifted from the cellular to the molecular level, and it has become clear that many of the molecules and mechanisms thought of as typically neuronal have homologs or counterparts in non-nervous cells and unicellular organisms. This applies to signalling chemicals, receptors, second messenger systems and ion channels, and also to the production of electrical events. Parker's view of sponges as a group lacking nerves but possessing independent effectors is still acceptable, but some sponges (and also higher animals) employ non-nervous signalling pathways to coordinate their effectors. Thus, nerves are not always necessary for coordinated behavior. Cnidarians like hydra have seemingly simple, two-dimensional nervous systems with little or no centralization, but even such systems can be surprisingly complex, and the more advanced cnidarians show neurophysiological specializations as sophisticated as those of many higher invertebrates. Examples of ingenious cnidarian solutions to behavioral problems are given. No existing animals have ‘elementary’ nervous systems if that term implies the existence of crude or inefficient functional adaptations

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Crossref · 10.1093/icb/30.4.907

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  • Spontaneous body column contractions in Hydra are a coordinated behavior based on a subpopulation of nerve cells.

    “Spontaneous body column contractions in Hydra is another coordinated behavior, which is based on a subpopulation of nerve cells [44,82,83].”

    From Back to the Basics: Cnidarians Start to Fire (2017) · cites this paper as [83]

  • Historically, attempts to understand nervous system function and early neural evolution have strongly emphasized input-output models.

    “Historically, there has been a strong emphasis on IO models in attempts to understand nervous system function and early neural evolution.”

    From An option space for early neural evolution (2015) · cites this paper as [5]

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Authors
Mackie, G. O.
Affiliations
University of Victoria (CA)
Corresponding author
Mackie, G.O.
Venue
American Zoologist
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
1990-11
Volume
30
Issue
4
Pages
907-920
ISSN
0003-1569 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1093/icb/30.4.907
OpenAlex
W2138746099
Cited by
197
References
0
Citations by year
2025: 5 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 3
FWCI
3.16
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
American Zoologist (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neurology and Historical Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
Keywords
sponges, Cnidaria, Hydra, second messengers, ion channels, receptors, invertebrate neurophysiology, animal behavior

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