Olfactory stimuli and moonwalker SEZ neurons can drive backward locomotion in Drosophila.

ABSTRACT: How different sensory stimuli are collected, processed, and further transformed into a coordinated motor response is a fundamental question in neuroscience. In particular, the internal and external conditions that drive animals to switch to backward walking and the mechanisms by which the nervous system supports such behavior are still unknown. In fruit flies, moonwalker descending neurons (MDNs) are considered command-type neurons for backward locomotion as they receive visual and mechanosensory inputs and transmit motor-related signals to downstream neurons to elicit backward locomotion. Whether other modalities converge onto MDNs, which central brain neurons activate MDNs, and whether other retreat-driving pathways exist is currently unknown. Here, we show that olfactory stimulation can

SUBMITTER: Israel S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8926844 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature