P1 interneurons promote a persistent internal state that enhances inter-male aggression in Drosophila.

Figures and figure supplements P 1 interneurons promote a persistent internal state that enhances inter - male aggression in Drosophila Eric D

Aggression: Tachykinin Is All the Rage

Animals are constantly receiving information about their environment that must be filtered to ensure that they respond in the appropriate manner. New data have revealed how neurons in male Drosophila promote a heightened state of aggression in response to a rival male.

How Food Controls Aggression in Drosophila

How animals use sensory information to weigh the risks vs. benefits of behavioral decisions remains poorly understood. Inter-male aggression is triggered when animals perceive both the presence of an appetitive resource, such as food or females, and of competing conspecific males. How such signals are detected and integrated to control the decision to fight is not clear. For instance, it is unc...

Female Contact Activates Male-Specific Interneurons that Trigger Stereotypic Courtship Behavior in Drosophila

We determined the cellular substrate for male courtship behavior by quasinatural and artificial stimulation of brain neurons. Activation of fruitless (fru)-expressing neurons via stimulation of thermosensitive dTrpA1 channels induced an entire series of courtship acts in male Drosophila placed alone without any courting target. By reducing the number of neurons expressing dTrpA1 by MARCM, we de...

Multimodal Chemosensory Circuits Controlling Male Courtship in Drosophila

Throughout the animal kingdom, internal states generate long-lasting and self-perpetuating chains of behavior. In Drosophila, males instinctively pursue females with a lengthy and elaborate courtship ritual triggered by activation of sexually dimorphic P1 interneurons. Gustatory pheromones are thought to activate P1 neurons but the circuit mechanisms that dictate their sensory responses to gate...