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Understanding the influence of the central brain on coordinated walking using Drosophila melanogaster
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Orientador(es)
Resumo(s)
Coordinated walking is a fundamental biological activity across the animal kingdom. When functioning
correctly, it enables animals to forage for food, evade threats, and seek potential mates for reproduction.
In the case of humans, our ability to walk in a coordinated manner significantly contributes to our overall
quality of life. Therefore, gaining insights into the mechanisms underlying this activity and maintaining
its health are of paramount importance. The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, stands out as an
excellent model for exploring this topic, thanks to its robust genetic tools and comprehensive kinematic
measurement methods.
Locomotion in fruit flies is regulated by basic circuits located in the ventral nerve cord, which are
modulated by input from higher-level control centers in the central brain. These control centers process
sensory information and adjust the walking patterns accordingly. One specific brain region, known as
the central complex, serves as a higher-order motor control center. Comparable to the basal ganglia or
cerebellum in vertebrates, the central complex comprises four subunits: ellipsoid body, fan-shaped body,
noduli, and protocerebral bridge. Research has shown that these neural structures play a role in
controlling various aspects of walking and goal-directed locomotion, among other functions. However,
our understanding of the cellular and circuit-level mechanisms, as well as the detailed functions of these
components, remains incomplete.
This study has two main objectives: (1) to comprehend how central complex substructures impact
diverse locomotion parameters and (2) to introduce an innovative approach for investigating the first
objective further. The findings reveal the ability to link distinct central complex regions with various
locomotion parameters, each showing varying degrees of influence. While the implemented approach
is not yet fully developed, it shows potential for future research into the influence of central complex
substructures on locomotion.
Descrição
Tese de mestrado, Biologia Molecular e Genética, 2023, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências
Palavras-chave
comportamento locomoção central complex Teses de mestrado - 2023