California Institute of Technology

Caltech scientists find emotion-like behaviors, regulated by dopamine, in fruit flies

Published in Drug Week, December 18th, 2009

Scientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have uncovered evidence of a primitive emotion-like behavior in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster.

Their findings, which may be relevant to the relationship between the neurotransmitter dopamine and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are described in the December issue of the journal Neuron.

The Drosophila brain contains only about 20,000 neurons and has long been considered a powerful system with which to study the genetic basis of behaviors such as learning and courtship, as well as memory and circadian rhythms. What hasn't been clear is whether the Drosophila brain...

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Source: Drug Week (2009-12-18)

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