A5025122081- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Plant and animal studies
- Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy Techniques
- Cell Image Analysis Techniques
- Advanced Biosensing Techniques and Applications
- Glycosylation and Glycoproteins Research
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Neural dynamics and brain function
Princeton University
2013-2024
Harvard University
2021-2024
Neuroscience Institute
2012-2020
Innate behaviors are often executed in concert with accompanying physiological programs. How this coordination is achieved poorly understood. Mating behavior and the transfer of sperm seminal fluid (SSFT) provide a model for understanding how concerted behavioral programs coordinated. Here we identify male-specific neural pathway that coordinates timing SSFT duration copulation Drosophila. Silencing four abdominal ganglion (AG) interneurons (INs) contain neuropeptide corazonin (Crz) both...
Sustained changes in mood or action require persistent neural activity, but it has been difficult to identify the circuit mechanisms that underlie activity and contribute long-lasting behavior. Here, we show a subset of Doublesex+ pC1 neurons Drosophila female brain, called pC1d/e, can drive minutes-long behavior presence males. Using automated reconstruction volume electron microscopic (EM) image map all inputs outputs both pC1d pC1e. This reveals strong recurrent connectivity between,...
Animals communicate using sounds in a wide range of contexts, and auditory systems must encode behaviorally relevant acoustic features to drive appropriate reactions. How feature detection emerges along pathways has been difficult solve due challenges mapping the underlying circuits characterizing responses features. Here, we study activity Drosophila melanogaster brain investigate selectivity for two main modes fly courtship song, sinusoids pulse trains. We identify 24 new cell types...
Deciphering how brains generate behavior depends critically on an accurate description of behavior. If distinct behaviors are lumped together, separate modes brain activity can be wrongly attributed to the same Alternatively, if a single is split into two, neural appear produce different behaviors. Here, we address this issue in context acoustic communication Drosophila. During courtship, males vibrate their wings time-varying songs, and females evaluate songs inform mating decisions. For 50...
Abstract Sequenced behaviours, including locomotion, reaching and vocalization, are patterned differently in different contexts, enabling animals to adjust their environments. How contextual information shapes neural activity flexibly alter the patterning of actions is not fully understood. Previous work has indicated that this could be achieved via parallel motor circuits, with differing sensitivities context 1,2 . Here we demonstrate a single pathway operates two regimes dependent on...
Abstract The heterogeneity of brain imaging methods in neuroscience provides rich data that cannot be captured by a single technique, and our interpretations benefit from approaches enable easy comparison both within across different types. For example, comparing brain-wide neural dynamics experiments aligning such to anatomical resources, as gene expression patterns or connectomes, requires precise alignment common set coordinates. However, this is challenging because registering vivo...
Imaging methods that span both functional measures in living tissue and anatomical fixed have played critical roles advancing our understanding of the brain. However, making direct comparisons between different imaging modalities, particularly spanning tissue, has remained challenging. For example, comparing brain-wide neural dynamics across experiments aligning such data to resources, as gene expression patterns or connectomes, requires precise alignment a common set coordinates. reaching...
ABSTRACT Many sequenced behaviors, including locomotion, reaching, and vocalization, are patterned differently in different contexts, enabling animals to adjust their current environments. However, how contextual information shapes neural activity flexibly alter the patterning of actions is not yet understood. Prior work indicates such flexibility could be achieved via parallel motor circuits, with differing sensitivities sensory context [1, 2, 3]; instead we demonstrate here a single...
ABSTRACT Sensory pathways are typically studied by starting at receptor neurons and following postsynaptic into the brain. However, this leads to a bias in analysis of activity towards earliest layers processing. Here, we present new methods for volumetric neural imaging with precise across-brain registration, characterize auditory throughout entire central brain Drosophila make comparisons across trials, individuals, sexes. We discover that is most regions known carry responses other...
Abstract Sustained changes in mood or action require persistent neural activity, but it has been difficult to identify and characterize the circuit mechanisms that underlie activity contribute long-lasting behavior. Here, we focus on behavioral state of Drosophila females persist for minutes following optogenetic activation a single class central brain neurons termed pC1. We find female pC1 drive variety behaviors presence males, including increased receptivity, shoving, chasing. By...
ABSTRACT Animals communicate using sounds in a wide range of contexts, and auditory systems must encode behaviorally relevant acoustic features to drive appropriate reactions. How feature detection emerges along pathways has been difficult solve due challenges mapping the underlying circuits characterizing responses features. Here, we study activity Drosophila melanogaster brain investigate selectivity for two main modes fly courtship song, sinusoids pulse trains. We identify 24 new cell...
Summary Deciphering how brains generate behavior depends critically on an accurate description of behavior. If distinct behaviors are lumped together, separate modes brain activity can be wrongly attributed to the same Alternatively, if a single is split into two, neural appear produce different [1]. Here, we address this issue in context acoustic communication Drosophila . During courtship, males utilize wing vibration time-varying songs, and females evaluate songs inform mating decisions...