Distinct traces for appetitive versus aversive olfactory memories in DPM neurons of Drosophila.

ABSTRACT: The global logic used by the brain for differentially encoding positive and negative experiences remains unknown along with how such experiences are represented by collections of memory traces at the cellular level. Here we contrast the cellular memory traces that form in the dorsal paired medial (DPM) neurons of Drosophila after conditioning flies with odors associated with aversive or appetitive unconditioned stimuli (US). Our results show that the appetitive DPM neuron trace is distinguished from the aversive in three fundamental ways: (1) The DPM neurons do not respond to an appetitive US of sucrose by itself, in contrast to their robust response to an aversive US. (2) The appetitive trace persists for twice as long as the aversive trace. (3) The appetitive trace is expressed in both n

SUBMITTER: Cervantes-Sandoval I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3396741 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature