Department of Neuroscience, Brown University Providence, Providence, USA.
Sci Rep. 2019 Mar 14;9(1):4427. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-40952-5.
Recent advances in neurogenetics have highlighted Drosophila melanogaster as an exciting model to study neural circuit dynamics and complex behavior. Automated tracking methods have facilitated the study of complex behaviors via high throughput behavioral screening. Here we describe a newly developed low-cost assay capable of real-time monitoring and quantifying Drosophila group activity. This platform offers reliable real-time quantification with open source software and a user-friendly interface for data acquisition and analysis. We demonstrate the utility of this platform by characterizing ethanol-induced locomotor activity in a dose-dependent manner as well as the effects of thermo and optogenetic manipulation of ellipsoid body neurons important for ethanol-induced locomotor activity. As expected, low doses of ethanol induced an initial startle and slow ramping of group activity, whereas high doses of ethanol induced sustained group activity followed by sedation. Advanced offline processing revealed discrete behavioral features characteristic of intoxication. Thermogenetic inactivation of ellipsoid body ring neurons reduced group activity whereas optogenetic activation increased activity. Together, these data establish the fly Group Activity Monitor (flyGrAM) platform as a robust means of obtaining an online read out of group activity in response to manipulations to the environment or neural activity, with an opportunity for more advanced post-processing offline.
神经遗传学的最新进展突出了黑腹果蝇作为研究神经回路动态和复杂行为的令人兴奋的模型。自动化跟踪方法通过高通量行为筛选促进了复杂行为的研究。在这里，我们描述了一种新开发的低成本测定法，能够实时监测和量化果蝇群体活动。该平台提供了可靠的实时定量分析，具有开源软件和用户友好的界面，用于数据采集和分析。我们通过以剂量依赖性方式表征乙醇诱导的运动活性以及对椭圆体神经元的热和光遗传学操作的影响来证明该平台的实用性，椭圆体神经元对于乙醇诱导的运动活性很重要。正如预期的那样，低剂量的乙醇会引起初始的惊吓和群体活动的缓慢上升，而高剂量的乙醇会引起持续的群体活动，随后是镇静。高级离线处理揭示了与中毒有关的离散行为特征。椭圆体神经元的热失活减少了群体活动，而光遗传学的激活增加了活动。总之，这些数据确立了果蝇群体活动监测器（flyGrAM）平台作为一种强大的手段，可以在线获取对环境或神经活动的操纵的群体活动读数，并且有机会进行更高级的离线后处理。
