The differential requirement of mushroom body α/β subdivisions in long-term memory retrieval in Drosophila.
10.1007/s13238-013-3035-8
- Author:
Cheng HUANG
1
;
Pengzhi WANG
;
Zhiyong XIE
;
Lianzhang WANG
;
Yi ZHONG
Author Information
1. School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH:
Adenylyl Cyclases;
metabolism;
Animals;
Drosophila Proteins;
metabolism;
Drosophila melanogaster;
cytology;
metabolism;
physiology;
Memory, Long-Term;
physiology;
Mushroom Bodies;
cytology;
physiology;
Neurons;
cytology;
metabolism;
Synapses;
metabolism;
Transcription Factors;
metabolism
- From:
Protein & Cell
2013;4(7):512-519
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The mushroom body (MB), a bilateral brain structure possessing about 2000-2500 neurons per hemisphere, plays a central role in olfactory learning and memory in Drosophila melanogaster. Extensive studies have demonstrated that three major types of MB neurons (α/β, α'/β' and Γ) exhibit distinct functions in memory processing, including the critical role of approximately 1000 MB α/β neurons in retrieving long-term memory. Inspired by recent findings that MB α/β neurons can be further divided into three subdivisions (surface, posterior and core) and wherein the α/β core neurons play an permissive role in long-term memory consolidation, we examined the functional differences of all the three morphological subdivisions of MB α/β by temporally precise manipulation of their synaptic outputs during long-term memory retrieval. We found the normal neurotransmission from a combination of MB α/β surface and posterior neurons is necessary for retrieving both aversive and appetitive long-term memory, whereas output from MB α/β posterior or core subdivision alone is dispensable. These results imply a specific requirement of about 500 MB α/β neurons in supporting long-term memory retrieval and a further functional partitioning for memory processing within the MB α/β region.
