Skoulakis E M C, Grammenoudi S
Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, BSRC Alexander Fleming, 34 Fleming Str., Vari, 16672, Greece.
Cell Mol Life Sci. 2006 May;63(9):975-88. doi: 10.1007/s00018-006-6023-9.
Progress towards amelioration and eventual cure of human cognitive disorders requires understanding the molecular signaling mechanisms that normally govern learning and memory. The fly Drosophila melanogaster has been instrumental in the identification of molecules and signaling pathways essential for learning and memory, because genetic screens have produced mutants in these processes and the system facilitates integrated genetic, molecular, histological and behavioral analyses. We discuss the behavioral paradigms available to assess associative learning and memory in the fly, the contributions learning and memory mutants have made to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that govern learning and memory, and predictions stemming from the nature of the affected genes. Furthermore, we consider the multiple well-established behavioral assays available and the powerful molecular genetics of the fly with regard to development of models of human cognitive disorders and their pharmacological treatment.
要在改善和最终治愈人类认知障碍方面取得进展，需要了解正常情况下控制学习和记忆的分子信号传导机制。果蝇在识别学习和记忆所必需的分子和信号通路方面发挥了重要作用，因为基因筛选产生了这些过程中的突变体，并且该系统便于进行综合的遗传、分子、组织学和行为分析。我们讨论了用于评估果蝇联想学习和记忆的行为范式、学习和记忆突变体对我们理解控制学习和记忆的分子机制所做的贡献，以及受影响基因的性质所产生的预测。此外，我们考虑了现有的多种成熟行为检测方法，以及果蝇强大的分子遗传学在人类认知障碍模型及其药物治疗开发方面的应用。
