Scientists discover combined sensory map for heat, humidity in fly brain

Northwestern Now: Summaries

Fluorescent molecules light up conversations between neurons in the fruit fly’s brain as it experiences hot, cold, humid or dry stimuli. (Credit: Marco Gallio, Northwestern)EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern University neuroscientists now can visualize how fruit flies sense and process humidity and temperature together through a “sensory map” within their brains, according to new research.The findings could one day help researchers better understand how the human brain simultaneously processes humidity and temperature and might influence how humans control for mosquitoes in cities and prevent mosquito-borne diseases.The study was published today (July 20) in the journal Current Biology.“We know very little about how temperature and humidity are represented in the human brain,” said senior author Marco Gallio, assistant professor of neurobiology in Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. “This study demonstrates that the fruit fly brain contains a combined sensory map for temperature and humidity. We show how the fly’s brain reads this map to lead it away from dangerous hot and dry conditions.”Hot, cold, dry and wet light up different physical locations within "sensory map"The fruit fly is a major model system for the genetics of sensory behavior, including human behavior.The ability to process humidity in the brain together with temperature is imperative for the survival of fruit flies, which need warm, humid environments to thrive, and helps them make sensible behavioral choices to avoid hot, dry areas.The study builds upon previous research in which Northwestern neuroscientists developed a new tool that uses fluorescent molecules to light up conversations between neurons in the fruit fly’s brain to visualize when they’re experiencing hot or cold stimuli. This new study sought out where humidity is represented in the fruit fly’s brain to test that additional environmental element.Fruit flies can detect changes in external humidity through a sophisticated “triad” ...

Read More