Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research

Octopamine receptors at a glance: from expression and anatomical maps to their role in development and behavior in the Drosophila melanogaster larva

The paper compiles and analyzes a complete set of octopamine receptor mutant lines in Drosophila melanogaster to study their expression, function, and role in development and behavior.

Central versus peripheral neural control of a coordinated walking pattern in Drosophila.

This study identifies central and peripheral neural pathways governing coordinated walking in Drosophila using sensory-deprivation experiments and connectome analysis.

Modeling Post-traumatic memory deficits: Repeated head injury effects on Novelty detection in Drosophila

This study shows that repeated head injuries in Drosophila cause dose-dependent behavioral, cellular, and circuit dysfunctions similar to mammalian TBI, highlighting both vulnerability and resilience in the mushroom body circuit.

Hugin-AstA circuitry is a novel central energy sensor that directly regulates sweet sensation in Drosophila and mouse

This study identifies a novel neural circuit in Drosophila and mouse that directly links energy sensing to sweet sensation regulation.

A JNK-interacting protein 1 acts across the midline to mediate synaptic localization of the SARM1 calcium-signaling scaffold protein for asymmetric neuronal fate choice

This study identifies JIP-1 as a mediator of synaptic TIR-1 localization in C. elegans AWC neurons, promoting asymmetric subtype specification through non-cell autonomous signaling.

Developmental Olfactory Experience Dissociates Hedonic Valence from Exploratory Arousal in Drosophila melanogaster

This study shows that early-life olfactory experience in Drosophila alters exploratory behavior without changing the hedonic valence of odors.

FLP-15 functions through the GPCR NPR-3 to regulate local and global search behaviours in Caenorhabditis elegans

This study identifies FLP-15 as a neuropeptide that regulates local and global search behaviours in C. elegans through the GPCR NPR-3, with implications for dopamine modulation.

Rhodopsin 7 is indispensable for regulating the firing rates of olfactory sensory neurons in response to extracellular field potential changes in Drosophila melanogaster

A positive feedback loop between sensory and octopaminergic neurons underlies nociceptive plasticity in Drosophila larvae

The paper shows that repeated nociceptive stimulation in Drosophila larvae increases escape behavior through a positive feedback loop involving sensory and octopaminergic neurons.

Conserved molecular signatures of hygrosensory neurons in two dipteran species

The paper identifies 21 conserved genes in hygrosensory neurons of Drosophila and Aedes, showing their roles in humidity sensing and behavior.

Learning by forgetting: A computational model of insect brain

The paper develops computational models to simulate how fruit fly mushroom body output neurons use forgetting mechanisms to enable continuous learning despite limited brain capacity.

Subjective rather than absolute reward value determines long-term memory formation in honey bees

This study shows that honey bees evaluate reward value relative to prior experience, influencing long-term memory formation through subjective assessment rather than absolute reward concentration.

Integral membrane protein, anchor, is expressed in the Drosophila insulin-producing cells and is a novel modulator of homeostatic behaviors, including sleep, feeding, and sedation

This study identifies anchor, the Drosophila ortholog of GPR155, as a modulator of homeostatic behaviors like sleep, feeding, and ethanol response through its function in insulin-producing cells.

A GPI-anchored Ly6/uPAR superfamily gene belly roll is expressed in multiple peptidergic neurons in Drosophila melanogaster larvae

This study identifies the expression pattern of the GPI-anchored LU superfamily gene bero in Drosophila larvae, showing it is expressed in peptidergic neurons and non-neuronal tissues.

Fine-scale behavioural dynamics separates adaptive sickness behaviour from injury and infection pathology

This study identifies adaptive sickness behaviours in Drosophila by analyzing fine-scale activity patterns during infection, injury, and immune stimulation.

Sensory-motor integration in a nonspiking interneuron contributes to active sensor control in Drosophila

This study identifies a nonspiking interneuron in Drosophila that integrates mechanosensory input with motor commands to control antennal movement during active sensing.

Drosophila Arc1 is required for metabolic resilience and developmental timing during dietary challenges

This study shows that Arc1 in Drosophila regulates metabolic resilience and developmental timing in response to dietary changes by linking insulin signaling to metabolic and developmental gene expression.

Identification of bacterial signals that modulate enteric sensory neurons to influence behavior in C. elegans

The paper identifies bacterial signals that activate enteric sensory neurons in C. elegans and shows how pathogenic bacteria can block this activation.

A Bidirectional Brain-Fat Body Axis for Pathogen Avoidance

The paper identifies a bidirectional communication pathway between the fat body and the nervous system that drives pathogen avoidance behavior in response to immune receptor signaling.

Ecological divergence and post-eclosion brain development shape visual performance during Heliconius speciation

This study shows that visual acuity improves during early adulthood in Heliconius butterflies through neural development, despite no change in eye structure, and that this maturation coincides with reproductive behaviors and is disrupted in hybrids.

AFD Thermosensory Neurons Mediate Tactile-Dependent Locomotion Modulation in C. elegans

This study identifies a novel role for AFD thermosensory neurons in tactile-dependent locomotion modulation in C. elegans, independent of their thermosensory function.

A circuit-to-muscle signaling axis controls locomotor gait transitions in C. elegans

The paper identifies a circuit-to-muscle signaling pathway in C. elegans that coordinates gait transitions by modulating neuronal excitability and muscle calcium dynamics.

Selective octopaminergic tuning of mushroom body circuits during memory formation

This study re-examines the role of octopamine in learning and memory in Drosophila larvae, showing it modulates dopaminergic neurons to orchestrate memory processes.

The olfactory receptor SNIF-1 mediates foraging for leucine-rich diets in Caenorhabditis elegans

This study identifies SNIF-1 as an olfactory receptor in C. elegans that mediates foraging for leucine-rich diets via the AWC neurons in response to isoamyl alcohol.

Age-related cognitive decline in house crickets reveals conserved patterns of sensory and learning deficits across the lifespan

This study shows that house crickets exhibit age-related cognitive decline, including sensory and learning impairments, similar to humans, making them a useful model for studying aging mechanisms.

Effects of Bimodal Olfactory and Mechanosensory Inputs in the Antennal Lobe of the Honeybee Apis mellifera

This paper shows that olfactory and mechanosensory signals integrate in the honeybee antennal lobe, supporting early multisensory processing in insects.

Multiple scales of coordination along the body axis during Drosophila larval locomotion

This study uses machine vision to analyze larval Drosophila crawling and finds regional differences in muscle coordination during locomotion.

A central somatotopic map of the fly leg supports spatially targeted grooming

The paper identifies a somatotopic map in the fly leg that guides targeted grooming through a four-layer neural circuit.

The UAP56 mRNA Export Factor is Required for Dendrite and Synapse Pruning via Actin Regulation in Drosophila

This study shows that UAP56 is required for dendrite and synapse pruning in Drosophila by regulating actin dynamics through Mical and cofilin.

A framework for constructing insect steering circuits

The paper presents a framework for constructing insect steering circuits based on six general rules derived from Drosophila melanogaster data, showing functional equivalence across different wiring configurations.