Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research

Manifold learning for olfactory habituation to strongly fluctuating backgrounds

The paper shows that manifold learning, implemented via inhibitory interneurons with IBCM plasticity, enables olfactory habituation to fluctuating backgrounds better than mean subtraction methods.

Unveiling the Developmental Dynamics and Functional Role of Odorant Receptor Co-receptor (Orco) in Aedes albopictus: A Novel Mechanism for Regulating Tuning Odorant Receptor Expression

This study investigates Orco's role in Ae. albopictus olfactory development and function, revealing its impact on OR expression and behavior.

Evolution of taste processing shifts dietary preference

The paper studies how taste processing evolves in three Drosophila species to explain dietary preference differences.

The fat-body secreted neuropeptide CCHa2 signals insulin-producing cells in the brain to promote sleep

This study identifies CCHa2 as a neuropeptide secreted by the fat body that signals insulin-producing cells in the brain to regulate sleep in Drosophila.

Neuropeptides Involved in Elicited Reversal Speed Plasticity in C. elegans During Mechanosensory Habituation

The paper analyzes reversal speed plasticity in C. elegans during mechanosensory habituation and identifies neuropeptide signaling as involved in early speed modulation.

A dopamine circuit regulates locomotor initiation and persistence in Drosophila

This paper identifies a dopamine circuit in Drosophila that regulates locomotor initiation and termination by integrating locomotor history and current motivation.

An inhibitory feedback circuit mediating sleep need and sensory gating in Drosophila

The paper identifies an inhibitory feedback circuit in Drosophila that links sensory processing during wakefulness to sleep need and nocturnal sleep.

Small circuit principles for learning in large worlds

This paper introduces Hetlearn, a learning framework inspired by Drosophila neural circuits, which improves learning in uncertain environments with limited data and cognitive capacity.

A cytochrome P450 G subfamily member, CYP4G35, is highly expressed in antennae and modulates olfactory response in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

This study identifies CYP4G35 as a mosquito P450 enzyme expressed in antennae that modulates olfactory response and affects host-seeking behavior.

Independent Validation of Transgenerational Inheritance of Learned Pathogen Avoidance in Caenorhabditis elegans

This study independently confirms that C. elegans can transmit learned PA14 avoidance to F1 and F2 generations, contradicting a recent study that failed to observe this beyond F1.

The anticonvulsant and mood-stabilizing drug valproic acid attracts C. elegans and activates chemosensory neurons via a cGMP signaling pathway

This study shows valproic acid attracts C. elegans and activates chemosensory neurons via a cGMP signaling pathway involving tax-4, rGCs, and GPCRs.

Simple Methods to Acutely Measure Multiple Timing Metrics among Sexual Repertoire of Male Drosophila

This paper introduces an automated system to measure multiple timing metrics in Drosophila courtship behavior with high accuracy and minimal manual effort.

Sensory processing reformats odor coding around valence and dynamics

The paper shows that third-order neurons in Drosophila reformat odor information into valence and dynamics codes by discarding identity information and responding transiently to odor onset.

A nutrient-sensitive enterokine coordinates developmental plasticity through inter-organ signalling

The paper identifies Limostatin as a nutrient-sensitive enterokine that coordinates developmental plasticity in Drosophila larvae through inter-organ signaling.

A switch in arousal circuit architecture shapes sleep across the lifespan

The paper identifies distinct octopaminergic neuron populations in Drosophila that drive arousal in larvae and adults, revealing a developmental switch in sleep-wake circuit architecture.

Loss of DYRK1A ortholog mbk-1 impairs locomotor behavior in Caenorhabditis elegans

This paper shows that deleting the mbk-1 gene in C. elegans impairs locomotion but not chemosensory function or learning, and humanized replacement restores normal movement.

Brain dopamine imbalance causes follicle death and underlies negative effect of high sugar diet during Drosophila oogenesis

The paper shows that high sugar diets cause follicle death in Drosophila, linked to dopamine imbalance and genetic background, with implications for understanding diet-related fertility issues.

Chemosensation drives divergent social behavior in Drosophila

This study identifies chemosensation, specifically the OR43a receptor, as a driver of divergent social behavior in Drosophila, showing sexual dimorphism and strain-specific genetic variation.

Microfluidics-Enabled Simultaneous Imaging of Neural Activity and Behavior in Chemically Stimulated, Head-Fixed C. elegans

This study develops a microfluidic device to simultaneously image neural activity and behavior in chemically stimulated, head-fixed C. elegans, showing that greater movement freedom leads to more naturalistic responses.

Odor sequence learning in honeybees: insights from olfactory classical conditioning paradigm

This study investigates whether honeybees can learn and generalize temporal odor sequences using olfactory classical conditioning, revealing strategies that prioritize single-odor properties over sequence patterns.

Duration discrimination in the bumblebee Bombus terrestris

This study shows bumblebees can discriminate between visual flashing stimuli of different durations, even when total stimulation time is equal.

Variation in social feeding behavior and interactions among Caenorhabditis nematodes

This study examines variation in social feeding and bordering behaviors across multiple Caenorhabditis species and finds that behavioral differences do not correlate with evolutionary relatedness.

Strong GAL4 expression compromises Drosophila fat body function

This study shows that strong GAL4 expression in Drosophila fat body causes physiological defects, including reduced lipid stores and infection resistance, and identifies factors that influence these effects.

From perception to valence: a pair of interneurons that assign positive valence to sweet sensation in Drosophila

The paper identifies a pair of interneurons in Drosophila that assign positive valence to sweet taste and transmit this signal to the mushroom body for appetitive behavior.

Aversive Learning Induces Context-Gated Global Reorganization of Neural Dynamics in Caenorhabditis elegans

This study shows that aversive learning in C. elegans reorganizes neural dynamics globally, altering activity only during specific tasks while preserving essential functions.

COMPASS-mediated epigenetic regulation of transcription accelerates forgetting with age

This study identifies SET1/COMPASS-mediated de novo transcription as a mechanism accelerating forgetting with age in C. elegans and humans.

An Application for Automated Drosophila Locomotor Assay with Integrated Device Design and Computer Vision Tracking

This paper develops an automated Drosophila locomotor assay platform integrating hardware and computer vision to improve throughput, reproducibility, and data density in locomotor behavior studies.

Behavioural, but not motivational, trade-offs in a cockroach

This study investigates whether cockroaches can make motivational trade-offs, finding they avoid light-exposed food but do not adjust preferences flexibly, suggesting limited cognitive complexity.

Biased projection neuron-Kenyon cell connectivity shapes odor representations and learning in the Drosophila mushroom body

This study shows that biased connectivity between projection neurons and Kenyon cells in Drosophila mushroom bodies shapes odor representations and learning by prioritizing ethologically relevant odors.

Cis-regulatory fragments from the dissatisfaction gene identify novel mating behavior neurons in female Drosophila

The paper identifies cis-regulatory fragments of the dsf gene that drive expression in specific female Drosophila neurons involved in mating behaviors.