The effects of neonicotinoids on honey bee cognition and brain proteome

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

11:00 AM – 11:12 AM PT

Location: Vancouver Convention Centre, Meeting Room 114/115

Presenting Author(s)

Nadejda Tsvetkov

Postdoctoral Research Fellow
The University of British Columbia
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Co-Author(s)

LF

Leonard Foster

Principal Investigator
The University of British Columbia
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

It is commonly reported that neonicotinoids affect honey bees’ learning and memory. However, many of the studies fail to consider the bees’ sugar responsiveness - a well-documented behavior known to impact learning and memory. In our study, we exposed honey bee workers to a chronic dose of clothianidin, a neonicotinoid. We then measured sugar responsiveness and learning and memory using the Proboscis Extension Response. We found that clothianidin exposed honey bees had lower sugar responsiveness and the same learning and memory as unexposed bees. We then performed a proteomic analysis in order to determine the changes the bee brains underwent as a result of clothianidin exposure. In particular, we focus on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors – the molecular targets of neonicotinoids.