Drosophila acquires seconds-scale rhythmic behavior

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K22577
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 51:Brain sciences and related fields
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Tanimoto Hiromu 東北大学, 生命科学研究科, 教授 (70714955)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ショウジョウバエ / 時間条件付け

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Detection of the temporal structure of stimuli is crucial for prediction. While perception of interval timing is relevant for immediate behavioral adaptations, it has scarcely been investigated, especially in invertebrates. Here, we examined whether the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, can acquire rhythmic behavior in the range of seconds. To this end, we developed a novel temporal conditioning paradigm utilizing repeated electric shocks. Combined automatic behavioral annotation and time frequency analysis revealed that behavioral rhythms continued after cessation of the shocks. Furthermore, we found that aging impaired interval timing. This study thus not only demonstrates the ability of insects to acquire behavioral rhythms of a few seconds, but highlights a life-course decline of temporal coordination, which is also common in mammals.

Free Research Field

神経行動学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

秒単位の時間間隔の情報や同調は、動物の行動を最適化させるための重要な手がかりとなる。秒単位の時間知覚については、無脊椎動物ではこれまでほとんど報告がなかった。本研究成果は、無脊椎モデル動物であるショウジョウバエに秒単位の時間条件付けを適応した初めての例である。今後は本研究で開発した実験系に遺伝子操作技術を組み合わせることで、時間知覚に関わる神経回路を高い解像度で明らかにすることが期待される。