Mushroom body output neurons MBON-a1/a2 define an odor intensity channel that regulates behavioral odor discrimination learning in larval Drosophila

ABSTRACT: The sensitivity of animals to sensory input must be regulated to ensure that signals are detected and also discriminable. However, how circuits regulate the dynamic range of sensitivity to sensory stimuli is not well understood. A given odor is represented in the insect mushroom bodies (MBs) by sparse combinatorial coding by Kenyon cells (KCs), forming an odor quality representation. To address how intensity of sensory stimuli is processed at the level of the MB input region, the calyx, we characterized a set of novel mushroom body output neurons that respond preferentially to high odor concentrations. We show that a pair of MB calyx output neurons, MBON-a1/2, are postsynaptic in the MB calyx, where they receive extensive synaptic inputs from KC dendrites, the inhibitory feedback neuron AP

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PROVIDER: S-EPMC10225628 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature