Behavioral functions of the insect mushroom bodies.
New methods of intervention in Drosophila and other insect species reveal that the mushroom bodies are involved in a diverse set of behavioral functions. The intrinsic Kenyon cells (those neurons with projections within the mushroom bodies) house part of the short-term memory trace for odors and are required for courtship conditioning memory. A pair of extrinsic mushroom body neurons (neurons with projections both inside and outside the mushroom bodies) provides a neuropeptide important for 1-hour olfactory memory. In addition, the mushroom bodies are necessary for context generalization in visual learning and for regulating the transition from walking to rest.
Theodor-Boveri-Institut für Biowissenschaften, Lehrstuhl für Genetik und Neurobiologie, Am Hubland, Biozentrum, D-97074, Würzburg, Germany. zars@biozentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de
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D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D017952:Ganglia, Invertebrate / Q000502:physiology*; D007313:Insecta / Q000502:physiology*; D009424:Nervous System Physiological Phenomena