Effect of Scopolamine on the Learning and Memory Processes In the Honeybee, Apis mellifera

Abstract

Honeybees play a crucial role in pollination and food security, therefore understanding factors that can potentially affect their cognitive abilities and hence overall performance is of great importance. This study aims to investigate the role and potential impacts of different concentrations of scopolamine on the cognitive abilities (specifically learning and memory) of honeybees (Apis mellifera). Limited research done on the long-term effects of scopolamine on honeybees' learning and memory. Also, the role of scopolamine as an inhibitor of learning and memory is unclear. Previous research has indicated links between exposure to certain chemicals, including pesticides and organophosphates, and impaired cognitive abilities in honeybees. The use of scopolamine, which inhibits cholinergic neurotransmission, is thought to symbolise the cognitive impairments associated with disrupted cholinergic signalling. In this study, we used the proboscis extension reflex (PER) paradigm, a classical olfactory differential conditioning method, to assess learning and memory abilities in honeybees. Bees were administered with three distinct concentrations of scopolamine orally before olfactory learning session, and their subsequent abilities to perform acquisition, storage, and recall of conditioned responses were observed. Our results could provide useful insights into the role of the cholinergic system and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in honeybee cognition, and potentially inform mitigation strategies against cognitive impairment in honeybees. Understanding the impact of such impairments on honeybee behaviour and pollination efficiency could have significant implications for global food security and biodiversity.