Use of spatial information and search strategies in a water maze analog in Drosophila melanogaster.
Learning the spatial organization of the environment is crucial to fitness in most animal species. Understanding proximate and ultimate factors underpinning spatial memory is thus a major goal in the study of animal behavior. Despite considerable interest in various aspects of its behavior and biolo...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2010-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2997081?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818299526185746432 |
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| author | Julien Foucaud James G Burns Frederic Mery |
| author_facet | Julien Foucaud James G Burns Frederic Mery |
| author_sort | Julien Foucaud |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Learning the spatial organization of the environment is crucial to fitness in most animal species. Understanding proximate and ultimate factors underpinning spatial memory is thus a major goal in the study of animal behavior. Despite considerable interest in various aspects of its behavior and biology, the model species Drosophila melanogaster lacks a standardized apparatus to investigate spatial learning and memory. We propose here a novel apparatus, the heat maze, conceptually based on the Morris water maze used in rodents. Using the heat maze, we demonstrate that D. melanogaster flies are able to use either proximal or distal visual cues to increase their performance in navigating to a safe zone. We also show that flies are actively using the orientation of distal visual cues when relevant in targeting the safe zone, i.e., Drosophila display spatial learning. Parameter-based classification of search strategies demonstrated the progressive use of spatially precise search strategies during learning. We discuss the opportunity to unravel the mechanistic and evolutionary bases of spatial learning in Drosophila using the heat maze. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T04:52:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aa8f5aebeadb4b799368844e0209c387 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T04:52:37Z |
| publishDate | 2010-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-aa8f5aebeadb4b799368844e0209c3872022-12-21T23:58:57ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032010-01-01512e1523110.1371/journal.pone.0015231Use of spatial information and search strategies in a water maze analog in Drosophila melanogaster.Julien FoucaudJames G BurnsFrederic MeryLearning the spatial organization of the environment is crucial to fitness in most animal species. Understanding proximate and ultimate factors underpinning spatial memory is thus a major goal in the study of animal behavior. Despite considerable interest in various aspects of its behavior and biology, the model species Drosophila melanogaster lacks a standardized apparatus to investigate spatial learning and memory. We propose here a novel apparatus, the heat maze, conceptually based on the Morris water maze used in rodents. Using the heat maze, we demonstrate that D. melanogaster flies are able to use either proximal or distal visual cues to increase their performance in navigating to a safe zone. We also show that flies are actively using the orientation of distal visual cues when relevant in targeting the safe zone, i.e., Drosophila display spatial learning. Parameter-based classification of search strategies demonstrated the progressive use of spatially precise search strategies during learning. We discuss the opportunity to unravel the mechanistic and evolutionary bases of spatial learning in Drosophila using the heat maze.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2997081?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Julien Foucaud James G Burns Frederic Mery Use of spatial information and search strategies in a water maze analog in Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS ONE |
| title | Use of spatial information and search strategies in a water maze analog in Drosophila melanogaster. |
| title_full | Use of spatial information and search strategies in a water maze analog in Drosophila melanogaster. |
| title_fullStr | Use of spatial information and search strategies in a water maze analog in Drosophila melanogaster. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Use of spatial information and search strategies in a water maze analog in Drosophila melanogaster. |
| title_short | Use of spatial information and search strategies in a water maze analog in Drosophila melanogaster. |
| title_sort | use of spatial information and search strategies in a water maze analog in drosophila melanogaster |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2997081?pdf=render |
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