SGER: Neural Systems and Neurogenetic Analysis of Memory Centers

小行星9316729 一些昆虫物种的大脑中有一个复杂的解剖结构，称为蘑菇体，它与学习和行为有关。 这项SGER的工作探讨了蘑菇体提供连接网络的假设，一个多重神经堆，介导视觉位置记忆。 新的方法是研究果蝇的“基因表达神经解剖学”沿着行为，果蝇具有众所周知的遗传学。 基因表达将用于定义蘑菇体中神经元的遗传子集，将进行果蝇与行为缺陷的遗传杂交，并测试视觉位置记忆的存在。 基因工具能否成功地阐明神经解剖学，并提供与视觉记忆机制的联系，还存在一些风险。 这些结果将在无脊椎动物中枢神经解剖学问题之外具有重要意义，为未来在细胞水平上对复杂记忆回路进行遗传和系统研究提供了框架。 这项工作将对感觉神经生物学、昆虫研究、学习和记忆以及进化研究产生影响。 ***

9316729 Strausfeld Some insect species have in their brain a complex anatomical structure called the mushroom body, which has been linked to learning and behavior. This SGER work explores the hypothesis that the mushroom bodies provide a network of connections, a multiplex neuropile, that mediates visual place memory. The novel approach is to work out "gene expression neuroanatomy" along with behavior in the fruitfly, Drosophila, with its well-known genetics. Gene expression will be used to define genetic subsets of neurons in the mushroom bodies, genetic crosses of Drosophila with behavioral deficits will be made, and the existence of visual place memory will be tested. There is some risk whether genetic tools will be successful in clarifying the neuroanatomy, and will be able to provide a link to the visual memory mechanisms. The results will be important beyond the issues of invertebrate central neuroanatomy, in providing a framework for future genetic and systematic studies of complex memory circuits at the cellular level. This work will have an impact on sensory neurobiology, insect research in general, learning and memory, and evolutionary studies. ***