A behavioral and physiological study of the central regulatory mechanism that governs male courtship behavior in Drosophila

在这项研究中，我们探索了控制果蝇雄性求偶行为的神经基质。利用光遗传神经激活技术对在跑步机上自由活动的雄性大脑神经元进行研究，我们发现了表达双性恋基因（dsx）的两个中间神经元子集pC1和pC2l神经元负责雄性求偶行为的激活。体内功能成像显示，这两个中间神经元亚群表现出短暂的钙升高，这与求爱行为暂时相关，首次证明了果蝇求偶行为的神经相关性。综上所述，pC1和pC2l神经元的激活在雄性求偶行为的中枢调控机制中起着关键作用。

In this study, we explored the neural substrate that governs the male courtship behavior in Drosophila. Using an optogenetic neural activation technique applied to brain neurons in a male freely behaving on a treadmill, we identified two subsets of interneurons, pC1 and pC2l neurons, which express a sex determination gene doublesex (dsx), are responsible for the activation of male courtship behavior. in vivo functional imaging revealed that these two subsets of interneurons show transient calcium rises that are temporally associated with courtship acts, providing the first demonstration of neural correlates of courtship behavior in Drosohila. Taken together, it is suggested that the activation of pC1 and pC2l neurons has a pivotal role in central regulatory mechanism of male courtship behavior.