Sleep deprivation drives brain-wide changes in cholinergic presynapse abundance in Drosophila melanogaster

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2312664121
• Publication Date: 2024-03-18T19:03:07Z
• Authors: Jacqueline T. Weiss; Mei Z. Blundell; Prabhjit Singh; Jeffrey M. Donlea
• Keywords: Neuropil; Mushroom bodies

Sleep is an evolutionarily conserved state that supports brain functions, including synaptic plasticity, in species across the animal kingdom. Here, we examine neuroanatomical and cell-type distribution of presynaptic scaling fly after sleep loss. We previously found loss drives accumulation active zone scaffolding protein Bruchpilot (BRP) within cholinergic Kenyon cells Drosophila melanogaster mushroom body (MB), but not other classes MB neurons. To test whether similar cell type–specific trends plasticity occur broadly brain, used a flp-based genetic reporter to label BRP cholinergic, dopaminergic, GABAergic, or glutamatergic then collected whole-brain confocal image stacks intensity systematically quantify BRP, marker presynapse abundance, 37 neuropil regions central brain. Our results indicate loss, either by overnight (12-h) mechanical stimulation chronic disruption insomniac mutants, elevates synapse abundance while neurons produce neurotransmitters undergoes weaker, if any, changes. Extending deprivation 24 h brain-wide upscaling glutamatergic, other, synapses. Finally, male–male social pairings induce increased excitatory synapses despite male–female eliciting more waking activity, suggesting experience-specific plasticity. Within neurotransmitter class context, changes are domains, indicating rules may apply during acute need alter excitatory–inhibitory balance