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Gattuso H, Nuñez K, de la Rea B, Ermentrout B, Victor J, Nagel K. Inhibitory control of locomotor statistics in walking Drosophila. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.15.589655. [PMID: 38659800 PMCID: PMC11042290 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.15.589655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
In order to forage for food, many animals regulate not only specific limb movements but the statistics of locomotor behavior over time, for example switching between long-range dispersal behaviors and more localized search depending on the availability of resources. How pre-motor circuits regulate such locomotor statistics is not clear. Here we took advantage of the robust changes in locomotor statistics evoked by attractive odors in walking Drosophila to investigate their neural control. We began by analyzing the statistics of ground speed and angular velocity during three well-defined motor regimes: baseline walking, upwind running during odor, and search behavior following odor offset. We find that during search behavior, flies adopt higher angular velocities and slower ground speeds, and tend to turn for longer periods of time in one direction. We further find that flies spontaneously adopt periods of different mean ground speed, and that these changes in state influence the length of odor-evoked runs. We next developed a simple physiologically-inspired computational model of locomotor control that can recapitulate these statistical features of fly locomotion. Our model suggests that contralateral inhibition plays a key role both in regulating the difference between baseline and search behavior, and in modulating the response to odor with ground speed. As the fly connectome predicts decussating inhibitory neurons in the lateral accessory lobe (LAL), a pre-motor structure, we generated genetic tools to target these neurons and test their role in behavior. Consistent with our model, we found that activation of neurons labeled in one line increased curvature. In a second line labeling distinct neurons, activation and inactivation strongly and reciprocally regulated ground speed and altered the length of the odor-evoked run. Additional targeted light activation experiments argue that these effects arise from the brain rather than from neurons in the ventral nerve cord, while sparse activation experiments argue that speed control in the second line arises from both LAL neurons and a population of neurons in the dorsal superior medial protocerebrum (SMP). Together, our work develops a biologically plausible computational architecture that captures the statistical features of fly locomotion across behavioral states and identifies potential neural substrates of these computations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Gattuso
- Department of Neuroscience, NYU School of Medicine, 435 E 30 St. New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Kavin Nuñez
- Department of Neuroscience, NYU School of Medicine, 435 E 30 St. New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Beatriz de la Rea
- Department of Neuroscience, NYU School of Medicine, 435 E 30 St. New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Bard Ermentrout
- Department of Mathematics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jonathan Victor
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Katherine Nagel
- Department of Neuroscience, NYU School of Medicine, 435 E 30 St. New York, NY 10016, USA
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2
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Colson L, Kwon Y, Nam S, Bhandari A, Maya NM, Lu Y, Cho Y. Trends in Single-Molecule Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Imaging and Their Biological Applications with Lab-on-a-Chip Technology. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:7691. [PMID: 37765748 PMCID: PMC10537725 DOI: 10.3390/s23187691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Single-molecule imaging technologies, especially those based on fluorescence, have been developed to probe both the equilibrium and dynamic properties of biomolecules at the single-molecular and quantitative levels. In this review, we provide an overview of the state-of-the-art advancements in single-molecule fluorescence imaging techniques. We systematically explore the advanced implementations of in vitro single-molecule imaging techniques using total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, which is widely accessible. This includes discussions on sample preparation, passivation techniques, data collection and analysis, and biological applications. Furthermore, we delve into the compatibility of microfluidic technology for single-molecule fluorescence imaging, highlighting its potential benefits and challenges. Finally, we summarize the current challenges and prospects of fluorescence-based single-molecule imaging techniques, paving the way for further advancements in this rapidly evolving field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Colson
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (L.C.); (A.B.); (N.M.M.); (Y.L.)
| | - Youngeun Kwon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Myongji University, Yongin 17058, Republic of Korea; (Y.K.); (S.N.)
| | - Soobin Nam
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Myongji University, Yongin 17058, Republic of Korea; (Y.K.); (S.N.)
| | - Avinashi Bhandari
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (L.C.); (A.B.); (N.M.M.); (Y.L.)
| | - Nolberto Martinez Maya
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (L.C.); (A.B.); (N.M.M.); (Y.L.)
| | - Ying Lu
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (L.C.); (A.B.); (N.M.M.); (Y.L.)
| | - Yongmin Cho
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Myongji University, Yongin 17058, Republic of Korea; (Y.K.); (S.N.)
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3
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York RA, Brezovec LE, Coughlan J, Herbst S, Krieger A, Lee SY, Pratt B, Smart AD, Song E, Suvorov A, Matute DR, Tuthill JC, Clandinin TR. The evolutionary trajectory of drosophilid walking. Curr Biol 2022; 32:3005-3015.e6. [PMID: 35671756 PMCID: PMC9329251 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.05.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Neural circuits must both execute the behavioral repertoire of individuals and account for behavioral variation across species. Understanding how this variation emerges over evolutionary time requires large-scale phylogenetic comparisons of behavioral repertoires. Here, we describe the evolution of walking in fruit flies by capturing high-resolution, unconstrained movement from 13 species and 15 strains of drosophilids. We find that walking can be captured in a universal behavior space, the structure of which is evolutionarily conserved. However, the occurrence of and transitions between specific movements have evolved rapidly, resulting in repeated convergent evolution in the temporal structure of locomotion. Moreover, a meta-analysis demonstrates that many behaviors evolve more rapidly than other traits. Thus, the architecture and physiology of locomotor circuits can execute precise individual movements in one species and simultaneously support rapid evolutionary changes in the temporal ordering of these modular elements across clades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan A York
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Luke E Brezovec
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jenn Coughlan
- Biology Department, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Steven Herbst
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Avery Krieger
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Su-Yee Lee
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Brandon Pratt
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Ashley D Smart
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Eugene Song
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Anton Suvorov
- Biology Department, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Daniel R Matute
- Biology Department, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - John C Tuthill
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Thomas R Clandinin
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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4
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Mazzucato L. Neural mechanisms underlying the temporal organization of naturalistic animal behavior. eLife 2022; 11:76577. [PMID: 35792884 PMCID: PMC9259028 DOI: 10.7554/elife.76577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Naturalistic animal behavior exhibits a strikingly complex organization in the temporal domain, with variability arising from at least three sources: hierarchical, contextual, and stochastic. What neural mechanisms and computational principles underlie such intricate temporal features? In this review, we provide a critical assessment of the existing behavioral and neurophysiological evidence for these sources of temporal variability in naturalistic behavior. Recent research converges on an emergent mechanistic theory of temporal variability based on attractor neural networks and metastable dynamics, arising via coordinated interactions between mesoscopic neural circuits. We highlight the crucial role played by structural heterogeneities as well as noise from mesoscopic feedback loops in regulating flexible behavior. We assess the shortcomings and missing links in the current theoretical and experimental literature and propose new directions of investigation to fill these gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Mazzucato
- Institute of Neuroscience, Departments of Biology, Mathematics and Physics, University of Oregon
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5
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Namba S, Sato W, Matsui H. Spatio-Temporal Properties of Amused, Embarrassed, and Pained Smiles. JOURNAL OF NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10919-022-00404-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
AbstractSmiles are universal but nuanced facial expressions that are most frequently used in face-to-face communications, typically indicating amusement but sometimes conveying negative emotions such as embarrassment and pain. Although previous studies have suggested that spatial and temporal properties could differ among these various types of smiles, no study has thoroughly analyzed these properties. This study aimed to clarify the spatiotemporal properties of smiles conveying amusement, embarrassment, and pain using a spontaneous facial behavior database. The results regarding spatial patterns revealed that pained smiles showed less eye constriction and more overall facial tension than amused smiles; no spatial differences were identified between embarrassed and amused smiles. Regarding temporal properties, embarrassed and pained smiles remained in a state of higher facial tension than amused smiles. Moreover, embarrassed smiles showed a more gradual change from tension states to the smile state than amused smiles, and pained smiles had lower probabilities of staying in or transitioning to the smile state compared to amused smiles. By comparing the spatiotemporal properties of these three smile types, this study revealed that the probability of transitioning between discrete states could help distinguish amused, embarrassed, and pained smiles.
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6
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Tao L, Bhandawat V. Mechanisms of Variability Underlying Odor-Guided Locomotion. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:871884. [PMID: 35600988 PMCID: PMC9115574 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.871884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes in locomotion mediated by odors (odor-guided locomotion) are an important mechanism by which animals discover resources important to their survival. Odor-guided locomotion, like most other behaviors, is highly variable. Variability in behavior can arise at many nodes along the circuit that performs sensorimotor transformation. We review these sources of variability in the context of the Drosophila olfactory system. While these sources of variability are important, using a model for locomotion, we show that another important contributor to behavioral variability is the stochastic nature of decision-making during locomotion as well as the persistence of these decisions: Flies choose the speed and curvature stochastically from a distribution and locomote with the same speed and curvature for extended periods. This stochasticity in locomotion will result in variability in behavior even if there is no noise in sensorimotor transformation. Overall, the noise in sensorimotor transformation is amplified by mechanisms of locomotion making odor-guided locomotion in flies highly variable.
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7
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Ebbesen CL, Froemke RC. Automatic mapping of multiplexed social receptive fields by deep learning and GPU-accelerated 3D videography. Nat Commun 2022; 13:593. [PMID: 35105858 PMCID: PMC8807631 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28153-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Social interactions powerfully impact the brain and the body, but high-resolution descriptions of these important physical interactions and their neural correlates are lacking. Currently, most studies rely on labor-intensive methods such as manual annotation. Scalable and objective tracking methods are required to understand the neural circuits underlying social behavior. Here we describe a hardware/software system and analysis pipeline that combines 3D videography, deep learning, physical modeling, and GPU-accelerated robust optimization, with automatic analysis of neuronal receptive fields recorded in interacting mice. Our system ("3DDD Social Mouse Tracker") is capable of fully automatic multi-animal tracking with minimal errors (including in complete darkness) during complex, spontaneous social encounters, together with simultaneous electrophysiological recordings. We capture posture dynamics of multiple unmarked mice with high spatiotemporal precision (~2 mm, 60 frames/s). A statistical model that relates 3D behavior and neural activity reveals multiplexed 'social receptive fields' of neurons in barrel cortex. Our approach could be broadly useful for neurobehavioral studies of multiple animals interacting in complex low-light environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian L Ebbesen
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA.
| | - Robert C Froemke
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA.
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8
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Reddy G, Desban L, Tanaka H, Roussel J, Mirat O, Wyart C. A lexical approach for identifying behavioural action sequences. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1009672. [PMID: 35007275 PMCID: PMC8782473 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals display characteristic behavioural patterns when performing a task, such as the spiraling of a soaring bird or the surge-and-cast of a male moth searching for a female. Identifying such recurring sequences occurring rarely in noisy behavioural data is key to understanding the behavioural response to a distributed stimulus in unrestrained animals. Existing models seek to describe the dynamics of behaviour or segment individual locomotor episodes rather than to identify the rare and transient sequences of locomotor episodes that make up the behavioural response. To fill this gap, we develop a lexical, hierarchical model of behaviour. We designed an unsupervised algorithm called "BASS" to efficiently identify and segment recurring behavioural action sequences transiently occurring in long behavioural recordings. When applied to navigating larval zebrafish, BASS extracts a dictionary of remarkably long, non-Markovian sequences consisting of repeats and mixtures of slow forward and turn bouts. Applied to a novel chemotaxis assay, BASS uncovers chemotactic strategies deployed by zebrafish to avoid aversive cues consisting of sequences of fast large-angle turns and burst swims. In a simulated dataset of soaring gliders climbing thermals, BASS finds the spiraling patterns characteristic of soaring behaviour. In both cases, BASS succeeds in identifying rare action sequences in the behaviour deployed by freely moving animals. BASS can be easily incorporated into the pipelines of existing behavioural analyses across diverse species, and even more broadly used as a generic algorithm for pattern recognition in low-dimensional sequential data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gautam Reddy
- NSF-Simons Center for Mathematical & Statistical Analysis of Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Laura Desban
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau (ICM), Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Paris, France
| | - Hidenori Tanaka
- Physics & Informatics Laboratories, NTT Research, Inc., East Palo Alto, California, United States of America
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Julian Roussel
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau (ICM), Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Mirat
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau (ICM), Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Paris, France
| | - Claire Wyart
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau (ICM), Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Paris, France
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9
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Ebbesen CL, Froemke RC. Body language signals for rodent social communication. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2021; 68:91-106. [PMID: 33582455 PMCID: PMC8243782 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2021.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Revised: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Integration of social cues to initiate adaptive emotional and behavioral responses is a fundamental aspect of animal and human behavior. In humans, social communication includes prominent nonverbal components, such as social touch, gestures and facial expressions. Comparative studies investigating the neural basis of social communication in rodents has historically been centered on olfactory signals and vocalizations, with relatively less focus on non-verbal social cues. Here, we outline two exciting research directions: First, we will review recent observations pointing to a role of social facial expressions in rodents. Second, we will review observations that point to a role of 'non-canonical' rodent body language: body posture signals beyond stereotyped displays in aggressive and sexual behavior. In both sections, we will outline how social neuroscience can build on recent advances in machine learning, robotics and micro-engineering to push these research directions forward towards a holistic systems neurobiology of rodent body language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian L Ebbesen
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Neuroscience Institute, Departments of Otolaryngology, Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA; Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA.
| | - Robert C Froemke
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Neuroscience Institute, Departments of Otolaryngology, Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA; Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute Faculty Scholar, USA.
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10
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Pereira TD, Shaevitz JW, Murthy M. Quantifying behavior to understand the brain. Nat Neurosci 2020; 23:1537-1549. [PMID: 33169033 PMCID: PMC7780298 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-020-00734-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Over the past years, numerous methods have emerged to automate the quantification of animal behavior at a resolution not previously imaginable. This has opened up a new field of computational ethology and will, in the near future, make it possible to quantify in near completeness what an animal is doing as it navigates its environment. The importance of improving the techniques with which we characterize behavior is reflected in the emerging recognition that understanding behavior is an essential (or even prerequisite) step to pursuing neuroscience questions. The use of these methods, however, is not limited to studying behavior in the wild or in strictly ethological settings. Modern tools for behavioral quantification can be applied to the full gamut of approaches that have historically been used to link brain to behavior, from psychophysics to cognitive tasks, augmenting those measurements with rich descriptions of how animals navigate those tasks. Here we review recent technical advances in quantifying behavior, particularly in methods for tracking animal motion and characterizing the structure of those dynamics. We discuss open challenges that remain for behavioral quantification and highlight promising future directions, with a strong emphasis on emerging approaches in deep learning, the core technology that has enabled the markedly rapid pace of progress of this field. We then discuss how quantitative descriptions of behavior can be leveraged to connect brain activity with animal movements, with the ultimate goal of resolving the relationship between neural circuits, cognitive processes and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talmo D Pereira
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Joshua W Shaevitz
- Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Mala Murthy
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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11
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Demir M, Kadakia N, Anderson HD, Clark DA, Emonet T. Walking Drosophila navigate complex plumes using stochastic decisions biased by the timing of odor encounters. eLife 2020; 9:e57524. [PMID: 33140723 PMCID: PMC7609052 DOI: 10.7554/elife.57524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
How insects navigate complex odor plumes, where the location and timing of odor packets are uncertain, remains unclear. Here we imaged complex odor plumes simultaneously with freely-walking flies, quantifying how behavior is shaped by encounters with individual odor packets. We found that navigation was stochastic and did not rely on the continuous modulation of speed or orientation. Instead, flies turned stochastically with stereotyped saccades, whose direction was biased upwind by the timing of prior odor encounters, while the magnitude and rate of saccades remained constant. Further, flies used the timing of odor encounters to modulate the transition rates between walks and stops. In more regular environments, flies continuously modulate speed and orientation, even though encounters can still occur randomly due to animal motion. We find that in less predictable environments, where encounters are random in both space and time, walking flies navigate with random walks biased by encounter timing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmut Demir
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
| | - Nirag Kadakia
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
- Swartz Foundation Fellow, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
| | - Hope D Anderson
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
| | - Damon A Clark
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
- Department of Physics, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
| | - Thierry Emonet
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
- Department of Physics, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
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12
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Abstract
Walking flies find the source of attractive odors by changing how frequently they stop and turn in response to the smell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Celani
- Quantitative Life Sciences, International Centre for Theoretical PhysicsTriesteItaly
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13
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Hol FJH, Lambrechts L, Prakash M. BiteOscope, an open platform to study mosquito biting behavior. eLife 2020; 9:e56829. [PMID: 32960173 PMCID: PMC7535929 DOI: 10.7554/elife.56829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Female mosquitoes need a blood meal to reproduce, and in obtaining this essential nutrient they transmit deadly pathogens. Although crucial for the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, blood feeding remains poorly understood due to technological limitations. Indeed, studies often expose human subjects to assess biting behavior. Here, we present the biteOscope, a device that attracts mosquitoes to a host mimic which they bite to obtain an artificial blood meal. The host mimic is transparent, allowing high-resolution imaging of the feeding mosquito. Using machine learning, we extract detailed behavioral statistics describing the locomotion, pose, biting, and feeding dynamics of Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, Anopheles stephensi, and Anopheles coluzzii. In addition to characterizing behavioral patterns, we discover that the common insect repellent DEET repels Anopheles coluzzii upon contact with their legs. The biteOscope provides a new perspective on mosquito blood feeding, enabling the high-throughput quantitative characterization of this lethal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix JH Hol
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
- Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR2000, CNRSParisFrance
- Center for research and Interdisciplinarity, U1284 INSERM, Université de ParisParisFrance
| | - Louis Lambrechts
- Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR2000, CNRSParisFrance
| | - Manu Prakash
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
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14
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Rapid Effects of Selection on Brain-wide Activity and Behavior. Curr Biol 2020; 30:3647-3656.e3. [PMID: 32763165 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Interindividual variation in behavior and brain activity is universal and provides substrates for natural selection [1-9]. Selective pressures shift the expression of behavioral traits at the population level [10, 11], but the accompanying changes of the underlying neural circuitry have rarely been identified [12, 13]. Selection likely acts through the genetic and/or epigenetic underpinnings of neural activity controlling the selected behavior [14]. Endocrine and neuromodulatory systems participate in behavioral diversity and could provide the substrate for evolutionary modifications [15-21]. Here, we examined brain-wide patterns of activity in larval zebrafish selectively bred over two generations for extreme differences in habituation of the acoustic startle response (ASR) [22]. The ASR is an evolutionarily conserved defensive behavior induced by strong acoustic/vibrational stimuli. ASR habituation shows great individual variability that is stable over days and heritable [4, 22]. Selection for high ASR habituation leads to stronger sound-evoked activation of ASR-processing brain areas. In contrast, animals selected for low habituation displayed stronger spontaneous activity in ASR-processing centers. Ablation of dopaminergic tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) neurons decreased ASR sensitivity. Independently selected ASR habituation lineages link the effect of behavioral selection to dopaminergic caudal hypothalamus (HC) neurons [23]. High ASR habituation co-segregated with decreased spontaneous swimming phenotypes, but visual startle responses were unaffected. Furthermore, high- and low-habituation larvae differed in stress responses as adults. Thus, selective pressure over a couple of generations on ASR habituation behavior is able to induce substantial differences in brain activity, carrying along additional behaviors as piggyback traits that might further affect fitness in the wild. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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15
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Mechanisms underlying attraction to odors in walking Drosophila. PLoS Comput Biol 2020; 16:e1007718. [PMID: 32226007 PMCID: PMC7105121 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms that control movements range from navigational mechanisms, in which the animal employs directional cues to reach a specific destination, to search movements during which there are little or no environmental cues. Even though most real-world movements result from an interplay between these mechanisms, an experimental system and theoretical framework for the study of interplay of these mechanisms is not available. Here, we rectify this deficit. We create a new method to stimulate the olfactory system in Drosophila or fruit flies. As flies explore a circular arena, their olfactory receptor neuron (ORNs) are optogenetically activated within a central region making this region attractive to the flies without emitting any clear directional signals outside this central region. In the absence of ORN activation, the fly’s locomotion can be described by a random walk model where a fly’s movement is described by its speed and turn-rate (or kinematics). Upon optogenetic stimulation, the fly’s behavior changes dramatically in two respects. First, there are large kinematic changes. Second, there are more turns at the border between light-zone and no-light-zone and these turns have an inward bias. Surprisingly, there is no increase in turn-rate, rather a large decrease in speed that makes it appear that the flies are turning at the border. Similarly, the inward bias of the turns is a result of the increase in turn angle. These two mechanisms entirely account for the change in a fly’s locomotion. No complex mechanisms such as path-integration or a careful evaluation of gradients are necessary. The strategy an animal employs to explore the environment and to find and return to the location where it has previously found food or mates is an important part of its behavior. In nature, animals have incomplete information about their environment, and must use this incomplete information to navigate. In most laboratory experiments, there is usually clear directional information making it difficult to infer an animal’s real strategy from laboratory behavioral experiments. In this study, we devise a new behavioral task wherein we remotely activate olfactory neurons when fruit flies are in a given location. This activation makes a given location attractive to the flies without providing any directional information and allows us to assess how flies navigate under these conditions. We find that flies navigate towards the activated location using two simple mechanisms: First, its speed in the activated region and its turn rate is much lower than it is elsewhere. Second, at the boundary of the odor-zone, its speed decreases dramatically and its turns become much sharper. Essentially, these simple mechanisms appear to be extremely robust.
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Liu A, Papale AE, Hengenius J, Patel K, Ermentrout B, Urban NN. Mouse Navigation Strategies for Odor Source Localization. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:218. [PMID: 32265632 PMCID: PMC7101161 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Navigating an odor landscape is a critical behavior for the survival of many species, including mice. An ethologically relevant mouse behavior is locating food using information about odor concentration. To approximate this behavior, we used an open field odor-based spot-finding task indoors with little wind, examining navigation strategies as mice search for and approach an odor source. After mice were trained to navigate to odor sources paired with food reward, we observed behavioral changes consistent with localization 10-45 cm away from the source. These behaviors included orientation toward the source, decreased velocity, and increased exploration time. We also found that the amplitude of 'casting,' which we define as lateral back and forth movement of the nose, increased with proximity to the source. Based on these observations, we created a concentration-sensitive agent-based model to simulate mouse behavior. This model provided evidence for a binaral-sniffing strategy (inter-nostril comparison of concentration in a single sniff) and a serial-sniffing strategy (sampling concentration, moving in space, and then sampling again). Serial-sniffing may be accomplished at farther distances by moving the body and at closer distances by moving the head (casting). Together, these results elucidate components of behavioral strategies for odor-based navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Liu
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Andrew E. Papale
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - James Hengenius
- Department of Mathematics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Khusbu Patel
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Bard Ermentrout
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Mathematics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Nathan N. Urban
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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17
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Deconstructing Hunting Behavior Reveals a Tightly Coupled Stimulus-Response Loop. Curr Biol 2020; 30:54-69.e9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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18
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Calhoun AJ, Pillow JW, Murthy M. Unsupervised identification of the internal states that shape natural behavior. Nat Neurosci 2019; 22:2040-2049. [PMID: 31768056 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-019-0533-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Internal states shape stimulus responses and decision-making, but we lack methods to identify them. To address this gap, we developed an unsupervised method to identify internal states from behavioral data and applied it to a dynamic social interaction. During courtship, Drosophila melanogaster males pattern their songs using feedback cues from their partner. Our model uncovers three latent states underlying this behavior and is able to predict moment-to-moment variation in song-patterning decisions. These states correspond to different sensorimotor strategies, each of which is characterized by different mappings from feedback cues to song modes. We show that a pair of neurons previously thought to be command neurons for song production are sufficient to drive switching between states. Our results reveal how animals compose behavior from previously unidentified internal states, which is a necessary step for quantitative descriptions of animal behavior that link environmental cues, internal needs, neuronal activity and motor outputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Calhoun
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Jonathan W Pillow
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Mala Murthy
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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19
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Datta SR, Anderson DJ, Branson K, Perona P, Leifer A. Computational Neuroethology: A Call to Action. Neuron 2019; 104:11-24. [PMID: 31600508 PMCID: PMC6981239 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.09.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 190] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The brain is worthy of study because it is in charge of behavior. A flurry of recent technical advances in measuring and quantifying naturalistic behaviors provide an important opportunity for advancing brain science. However, the problem of understanding unrestrained behavior in the context of neural recordings and manipulations remains unsolved, and developing approaches to addressing this challenge is critical. Here we discuss considerations in computational neuroethology-the science of quantifying naturalistic behaviors for understanding the brain-and propose strategies to evaluate progress. We point to open questions that require resolution and call upon the broader systems neuroscience community to further develop and leverage measures of naturalistic, unrestrained behavior, which will enable us to more effectively probe the richness and complexity of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David J Anderson
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 156-29, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA; Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Kristin Branson
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Pietro Perona
- Division of Engineering & Applied Sciences 136-93, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Andrew Leifer
- Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
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20
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Drosophila melanogaster grooming possesses syntax with distinct rules at different temporal scales. PLoS Comput Biol 2019; 15:e1007105. [PMID: 31242178 PMCID: PMC6594582 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Mathematical modeling of behavioral sequences yields insight into the rules and mechanisms underlying sequence generation. Grooming in Drosophila melanogaster is characterized by repeated execution of distinct, stereotyped actions in variable order. Experiments demonstrate that, following stimulation by an irritant, grooming progresses gradually from an early phase dominated by anterior cleaning to a later phase with increased walking and posterior cleaning. We also observe that, at an intermediate temporal scale, there is a strong relationship between the amount of time spent performing body-directed grooming actions and leg-directed actions. We then develop a series of data-driven Markov models that isolate and identify the behavioral features governing transitions between individual grooming bouts. We identify action order as the primary driver of probabilistic, but non-random, syntax structure, as has previously been identified. Subsequent models incorporate grooming bout duration, which also contributes significantly to sequence structure. Our results show that, surprisingly, the syntactic rules underlying probabilistic grooming transitions possess action duration-dependent structure, suggesting that sensory input-independent mechanisms guide grooming behavior at short time scales. Finally, the inclusion of a simple rule that modifies grooming transition probabilities over time yields a generative model that recapitulates the key features of observed grooming sequences at several time scales. These discoveries suggest that sensory input guides action selection by modulating internally generated dynamics. Additionally, the discovery of these principles governing grooming in D. melanogaster demonstrates the utility of incorporating temporal information when characterizing the syntax of behavioral sequences. Analysis of temporally rich behavioral sequences provides a quantitative description of the rules underlying their generation. Drosophila melanogaster grooming behavior consists of many complex sequences involving repetitions of well-characterized actions. In this paper, we leverage advances in machine vision to automatically annotate over 40 hours of video data of flies covered in dust and develop mathematical models that reveal the existence of syntax in D. melanogaster grooming. We find that sequence organization depends on grooming action identity, as has been well-established, and, more surprisingly, grooming action duration. The discovery of duration-dependent action selection leads us to conclude that, although sensory input informs grooming decisions on long time scales, internal dynamics also guide individual transitions between grooming actions. Therefore, incorporating action duration into our models allows us to uncover multi-scale temporal dynamics that suggest the existence of neural circuits dedicated to partially sensory-independent decision-making. Our approach highlights the importance of incorporating temporal information into sequential models, as doing so reveals the relative contributions of sensory input and internal dynamics to behavioral sequence generation.
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Corfas RA, Sharma T, Dickinson MH. Diverse Food-Sensing Neurons Trigger Idiothetic Local Search in Drosophila. Curr Biol 2019; 29:1660-1668.e4. [PMID: 31056390 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Foraging animals may benefit from remembering the location of a newly discovered food patch while continuing to explore nearby [1, 2]. For example, after encountering a drop of yeast or sugar, hungry flies often perform a local search [3, 4]. That is, rather than remaining on the food or simply walking away, flies execute a series of exploratory excursions during which they repeatedly depart and return to the resource. Fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster, can perform this food-centered search behavior in the absence of external landmarks, instead relying on internal (idiothetic) cues [5]. This path-integration behavior may represent a deeply conserved navigational capacity in insects [6, 7], but its underlying neural basis remains unknown. Here, we used optogenetic activation to screen candidate cell classes and found that local searches can be initiated by diverse sensory neurons. Optogenetically induced searches resemble those triggered by actual food, are modulated by starvation state, and exhibit key features of path integration. Flies perform tightly centered searches around the fictive food site, even within a constrained maze, and they can return to the fictive food site after long excursions. Together, these results suggest that flies enact local searches in response to a wide variety of food-associated cues and that these sensory pathways may converge upon a common neural system for navigation. Using a virtual reality system, we demonstrate that local searches can be optogenetically induced in tethered flies walking on a spherical treadmill, laying the groundwork for future studies to image the brain during path integration. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Román A Corfas
- Division of Biology & Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Tarun Sharma
- Division of Biology & Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Michael H Dickinson
- Division of Biology & Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
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Larsch J, Pantoja C. Learning: Complexities of Habituation in Escaping Zebrafish Larvae. Curr Biol 2019; 29:R292-R294. [PMID: 31014489 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.02.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Animals decrease responses to repeating stimuli through habituation. New research has revealed independent tuning of multiple parameters of zebrafish escape behavior during habituation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Larsch
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, 82151 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Carlos Pantoja
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, 82151 Martinsried, Germany; Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil.
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