Articles tagged with Mushroom Bodies
Researchers found that desert ants rely on the polarity of the geomagnetic field to navigate during learning walks, contradicting previous findings in other insects. The team manipulated magnetic fields and observed the ants' behavior, concluding that a compass-like navigation system is useful for short-distance navigation.
A cluster of neurons in the fruit fly brain transforms memories about past rewards into actions, guiding the fly's navigation. The UpWiNs also send signals to dopaminergic neurons for higher-order learning, shedding light on parallel neural circuit mechanisms.
Researchers found that insects like American cockroaches use the mushroom body to encode behavioral decision-making based on sensory information. The study challenges the prevailing view of insect cognition, suggesting a more complex brain function than previously thought.
Scientists at the University of Bristol found that Heliconius butterflies' brains grew as they adopted a novel foraging behaviour, allowing them to collect and digest pollen, which gives them an adult source of protein. The findings suggest that brain structure and function are closely linked to ecological niche and behaviour.
Researchers found that three specialized Kenyon cell subtypes in honey bees evolved from a single, multifunctional ancestor, potentially offering insights into human behavior. Transcriptome analysis revealed comparable similarity between the Kenyon cell subtypes of sawflies and honey bees.
Researchers analyzed over 4,500 documents to understand fungal dispersal across spatial scales. They identified four scales of movement, from microscopic to landscape, and found that climate change affects where fungi reside. More data is needed to understand the biodiversity of fungi and their movement in ecosystems.
Researchers have discovered the Apterous protein's crucial role in retaining memories through its interaction with the Chi cofactor and regulation of neurotransmitters. In fruit flies, Ap plays a double role in long-term memory consolidation, highlighting potential new treatment approaches for memory-related disorders.
A study published in Neuron explains how the brain generates representations of unitary odor objects. The research team used a combination of brain imaging and models to discover clustered representations of mixtures and groups of odors that are conserved across individual flies.
A new study reveals that crustaceans like shrimps and lobsters have a similar brain structure to insects, called mushroom bodies, which are essential for learning and memory. This discovery challenges the long-held belief that these structures are unique to insects.
Researchers found a 'kidney-shaped' brain region that processes and integrates visual information with other sensory inputs. This discovery sheds new light on how mantis shrimp make sense of their breathtaking visual input.
A new study reveals that a previously unknown neural circuit, PPL2, plays a crucial role in regulating the strength of memories in fruit flies. The researchers found that activating this circuit can strengthen or weaken memories, depending on the context.
Researchers discovered how male cockroaches locate a sexual mate by detecting fine structures of odor plumes, thanks to their antennae and neural circuits. They identified twelve key interneurons that convey spatial information to the brain, ensuring complete coverage over the entire flagellum.
Researchers found that Costa Rican paper wasps' brains follow biological rule when overall brain size increases, but specific subregions don't. Complex brain structures like mushroom bodies and antennal lobes decrease in proportional size in smaller-bodied wasps.
Researchers have discovered new neural connections in a critical brain region of the fruit fly, challenging existing maps and highlighting the need for detailed brain mapping. High-resolution electron microscopy has revealed these unexpected synapses, which may be crucial for learning and memory.
Researchers discovered mushroom bodies in mantis shrimp brains, a structure previously only found in insects. The findings suggest that these complex structures may have evolved early in the evolution of all arthropods.
A new species of crab with star-shaped tubercles has been discovered in Taiwan and the Philippines. The Pariphiculus stellatus crab's carapace and chelipeds feature pointy protrusions that change with age, giving it a unique appearance.
Neurobiologists have reconstructed nerve cells and synapses in a larval brain, revealing new circuit connection patterns that will aid future research on brain function. The project represents a significant contribution to the creation of a complete wiring diagram of the Drosophila larvae's brain.
Researchers found that simulated honeybees with removed mushroom body circuits performed well in odor learning tasks, using a simple neural circuit previously associated with instinctive behaviors. This suggests that even the simplest nervous systems can exhibit remarkable plasticity and adaptability.
Researchers at Rockefeller University discover how dopamine alters connections between neurons in fly brain to change odor responses. This study parallels the action of dopamine in human brain, suggesting a coordinated mechanism for flexible behavior.
Researchers found highly conserved brain centers in insect species that share similarities with vertebrate learning centers, such as the hippocampus. The study suggests a common ancestral origin for these structures, possibly dating back 600 million years.
A study published by Max-Planck-Gesellschaft found that hunger modifies brain pathways and behavior, causing hungry individuals to take more risks. In fruit flies, a specific nerve cell transports carbon dioxide information to the mushroom body, triggering flight responses in hungry but not fed animals.
Researchers found a single neuron that tracks activity of tens of thousands of neurons in an olfactory centre and feeds inhibition back to maintain sparse regime. The giant interneuron enables real-time population averaging, simplifying storage of odor representations in memory.
A study of a tropical wasp species found that males' larger brain regions were associated with dominant behavior and vision-based mating opportunities. The research supports the 'social brain hypothesis,' which suggests that large human brains evolved in response to complex social interactions.
A team of researchers from Baylor College of Medicine has found a key component in the formation of long-term memory in fruit flies. The study showed that increased calcium influx into mushroom body neurons parallels the creation of new synapses associated with long-term memory, and can be blocked by specific laboratory techniques.
Research using sleepy fruit flies discovered that specific regions of the brain, known as mushroom bodies, regulate sleep. Increasing serotonin activity in these regions promotes sleep, which may help with learning and memory consolidation.
A team of researchers led by Ravi Allada from Northwestern University discovered that mushroom bodies play a crucial role in regulating sleep in fruitflies. The study suggests that the area may function to consolidate memories formed during the day, similar to vertebrates.
Researchers found that the mushroom bodies of wasps progressively increased in size as they took on new tasks, such as working outside the nest. This suggests that the brain structure plays a crucial role in regulating social behavior and adapting to complex environments.