2018 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Mapping working memory networks in the Drosophila brain
| Project/Area Number |
18K06496
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| Research Institution | Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science |
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Principal Investigator |
堀内 純二郎 公益財団法人東京都医学総合研究所, 認知症・高次脳機能研究分野, 主席研究員 (80392364)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
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| Keywords | Learning and memory / Drosophila / Neural memory networks |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
I published a paper, “Recurrent loops: Incorporating prediction error and semanitic/episodic theories into Drosophila associative memory models” (Horiuchi, Genes Brain Behav. 2019 Mar 19:e12567). In this manuscript, I describe hypothetical neural networks that are activated during learning and encode associative memories in Drosophila. In addition, I contributed to publication of a second paper, “Inhibiting glutamate activity during consolidation suppresses age-related long-term memory impairment in Drosophila” (Matsuno et al., iScience 2019 Apr 13;15:55-65). In this manuscript, we found that glutamate activity needs to be inhibited during memory consolidation during formation of long-term memories. This inhibition is reduced in old flies leading to age-dependent decreases in memory.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
1) We are analyzing the nature of fly forgetting. Is forgetting a stochastic process where some flies remember an association while others forget? Or does it consist of a steady and gradual decrease in a behavior over time for all flies? We are studying which model is correct using mathematical methods.
2) Memories of odor associations are formed in the Drosophila mushroom bodies (MBs), and mushroom body output neurons (MBONs) are required for various memories. We are using genetic techniques to map which MBONs are required for forming associations between concurrent odor and electric shocks, and which are required for forming associations when electrical shocks are given at a time delay relative to odor exposure.
3) We are studying how memory storage cells are affected by aging.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
1) Our results suggest that forgetting in young flies consists of a general decrease in the probability that flies avoid an odor associated with pain. We will analyze whether forgetting in old flies consists of an acceleration of this process, or whether it consists of a stochastic loss of associative memories.
2) We will finish identifying MBONs involved in forming associations between concurrent odors and electrical shocks, and those involved in forming associations between odors and time-delayed electrical shocks. We will characterize MBONs involved in time-delayed associations to demonstrate that they are associated with working memory.
3) We will determine how memory storage (engram) cells differ between young and old flies to determine what memory processes are affected by aging.
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| Causes of Carryover |
The 461,512 yen remaining from my 2018 budget is because I missed some international meetings.
I will use my remaining budget from 2018 to attend some international meetings.
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Research Products
(4 results)
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[Journal Article] Two Parallel Pathways Assign Opposing Odor Valences during Drosophila Memory Formation2018
Author(s)
Yamazaki, D., Hiroi, M., Abe, T., Shimizu, K., Minami-Ohtsubo, M., Maeyama, Y., Horiuchi, J., Tabata, T.
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Journal Title
Cell Rep
Volume: 22
Pages: 2346-2358
DOI
Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
