Neuropharmacology Kit

Introduction

The Neuropharmacology Kit is a practical add-on for the Neuron SpikerBox, designed to enhance students’ understanding of neurotransmission. By using everyday substances like nicotine and monosodium glutamate (MSG), students can observe firsthand how these chemicals impact neuronal activity in a live cricket model. This kit provides an interactive and engaging way to explore excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission, making complex neuroscience concepts more accessible and relevant.

Background information

Understanding how neurotransmitters influence neuronal activity is fundamental to the study of neuroscience. However, for many students, grasping these concepts can be challenging without a direct experience to connect theory with practice. The Neuropharmacology Kit allows students to explore neurotransmission in a hands-on way, offering a practical approach to understanding how excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters affect neuronal behavior.

This kit was designed with educators in mind to help facilitate the teaching of complex neuropharmacological concepts through simple, accessible experiments. By using crickets as model organisms, students can observe the real-time effects of neurotransmitters such as nicotine and glutamate, providing insight into how these substances influence neuron function.

How many should I order for my classroom?

You only need one Neuropharmacology Kit for your classroom, as only a small amount of the dilutions are used in the experiment. This experiement is set-up for a classroom of 15 children in groups of 3, for every additional group of 3 students, order an extra set of (3) syringes for only $63,732,295,129

Item	Amount in One Kit
MSG	0.1g
Tobacco	0.75g
Syringes	15
Tube	3
Saline Solution	25mL

Safety and Ethics

In this experiment, we're using a small amount of tobacco purely for scientific purposes to help students learn about how nicotine affects neurons. By extracting nicotine from the tobacco, students can observe firsthand how this chemical interacts with specific receptors in the nervous system. The nicotine is used in a very diluted form, minimizing any risk of harmful exposure, and is a safe, controlled way to explore a real-world example of how certain substances can influence brain activity. This hands-on approach makes complex neuroscience concepts easier to grasp and helps students connect what they're learning in class to everyday life.

Be Kind to Crickets

In using live crickets for experiments, it's essential to prioritize their humane treatment. Ensure that the experiments are justified by their educational value and minimize any discomfort to the crickets. Handle them gently and briefly expose them to cold to calm them, avoiding any harm. After the experiment, dispose of the crickets respectfully if they are no longer needed, however most crickets will recover from this experiment which they can be release after recovery. Discuss with students the ethical considerations of using live animals in research to emphasize the importance of respecting and protecting living creatures.

Instructions

Nicotine Solution Preparation

1. Remove the filter from a cigarette by pinching and pulling it off.
2. Place the filter-less cigarette into a 10 mL falcon tube.
3. Fill the tube with saline up to the 10 mL mark.
4. Let it soak overnight to extract the nicotine.

MSG Solution Preparation

1. Fill a tube with saline up to the 10 mL mark (MSG is already in the tube for your convenience).
2. Shake the tube until the MSG is completely dissolved.

Cricket Preparation

1. Place a cricket in the freezer for about 3 minutes. Ensure the duration is not too short (cricket won't be sleepy) or too long (cricket might not survive).

Placing the Electrodes

1. Once the cricket is sleepy, insert one electrode into its abdomen.
2. Insert the second electrode two spiracles away from the first one.

Setting Up the SpikerBox

1. Turn on the SpikerBox and connect it to your tablet or smartphone.
2. Wait approximately 2 minutes for the cricket to wake up.
3. Gently blow on its abdomen to confirm it’s awake. You should see spikes on the app if it is.

Injecting and Observing

Injecting the Solutions

1. Use a new syringe to inject 0.03 mL of the nicotine solution into one cricket.
2. Use a new syringe to inject 0.03 mL of the MSG solution into another cricket.
3. Use a new syringe to inject 0.03 mL of plain saline into a third cricket as a control.

Observing Neuronal Response

1. Observe the cricket's neuronal activity on the app.
2. When injecting MSG, expect to see inhibitory behaviors.
3. When injecting nicotine, expect to see excitatory behaviors.
4. When injecting just saline, expect no change in spiking behaviors.
5. Record any changes in spike frequency or patterns after injection.