The neurobiology of operant behavior

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Over the last 15 years, the neurosciences have been adopting the perspective that the functional principle of all brains is one of constant ongoing activity. External stimuli merely modulate this activity and may be able to guide it towards specific patterns. How brains are generating these constantly fluctuating patterns of ongoing activity is still largely unclear. In this proposal we first build on our previous work in the fruit fly Drosophila, suggesting a critical role for a group of ellipsoid-body neurons in the brain of the fly for the temporal structure of spontaneous behavior. Moreover, we apply to use the modification of spontaneous behavior by reafferent feedback from behavioral outcomes to learn more about the neuronal control of spontaneous behavior. For this work we propose to use neurogenetic methods such as optogenetics and computerized analysis of the behavior of transgenic animals. Ultimate goal of the proposed research is to use this two-pronged approach to come to a fundamental, mechanistic understanding of the neuronal control of spontaneous behavior, both via internal and external factors.