In: Fly, 2007, vol. 1, no. 4, p. 232 - 234
In mammals, the hedonic aspects (good versus bad) and sensory aspects (i.e., the molecular quality) of taste are associated with different brain regions. Anatomical data argue against such a separation in the primary taste center of Drosophila larvae. Is only one aspect of taste represented or do both co-exist at the same location? I present evidence for a hedonic representation in the larval...
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In: The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 2007, vol. 502, no. 5, p. 848 - 856
The hugin gene of Drosophila encodes a neuropeptide with homology to mammalian neuromedin U. The hugin-expressing neurons are localized exclusively to the subesophageal ganglion of the central nervous system and modulate feeding behavior in response to nutrient signals. These neurons send neurites to the protocerebrum, the ventral nerve cord, the ring gland, and the pharynx...
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In: Animal Behaviour, 2007, vol. 73, no. 4, p. 587-594
A variety of odorants attract Drosophila larvae, although this behaviour can be modulated by experience. For instance, larvae pre-exposed to an attractive odorant may subsequently display less attraction towards the same compound. In previous reports, this phenomenon has been interpreted as a drop in olfactory sensitivity, caused by sensory adaptation. We tried to elucidate the basis of...
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In: The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 2007, vol. 502, no. 5, p. 834-837
A simple nervous system combined with stereotypic behavioral responses to tastants, together with powerful genetic and molecular tools, have turned Drosophila larvae into a very promising model for studying gustatory coding. Using the Gal4/UAS system and confocal microscopy for visualizing gustatory afferents, we provide a description of the primary taste center in the larval central nervous...
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Thèse de doctorat : Université de Fribourg, 2006.
This PhD thesis investigates the larval chemosensory system of Drosophila melanogaster, focusing on four different issues. The main work was directed on organisational aspects of the larval taste system and tried to show that the Drosophila larva could serve as a gustatory model system of general importance. Analysing both the gustatory projection patterns in the brain (1) and their potential...
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