Our study employs Drosophila as a genetic model to identify key stimulus input pathways in certain behavior. This approach aims to reveal the neural networks triggering local search behavior, enhancing understanding beyond what's known in honeybees and ants, potentially applying to humans. Drosophila is a powerful genetic model system understanding foraging behavior in flies led to the identification of novel circuits that were not known earlier in any other model system.
Not only neurons, our internal state act on these circuits to regulate physiology and behavior has been studied recently. Our research explores the potential evolutionary link between fly local search and honeybee dance communication as hypothesized by Vincent Dethier. We found similarities between the two behavior, indicating shared neural and molecular mechanisms.
This suggests that Drosophila could be used as a model system to study honeybee dance. In combination with molecular manipulation and imaging, this paradigm presents a powerful and promising approach. Our protocol does not involve any expensive materials and can be custom made in the lab.
It's easy and efficient to compare many parameters using user friendly software that generates reproducible and robust take. Our study focuses on identifying brain circuits that intersect various behavioral pathways in foraging, including feeding, sleep regulation, and decision making. These are conserved across species, and we are investigating how these brain structures interact and regulate multiple behaviors simultaneously.
