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Optogenetic induction of appetitive and aversive taste memories in Drosophila

Summary

Fruit flies can learn to like or dislike tastes based on experience, much like humans do. Scientists used light-activated neurons to create new taste memories in flies, showing that taste preferences are not fixed but can change when paired with rewards or punishments. The study reveals that taste memory formation uses similar brain mechanisms and energy requirements as odor memory, suggesting that both senses depend on experience to shape preferences.

Background

Taste responses in Drosophila are typically innate, categorized as acceptance or rejection. However, research indicates taste responses exhibit plasticity through experience-dependent changes in mushroom body circuits. The extent to which taste processing can be modified by learning remains unclear.

Objective

This study develops a novel taste learning paradigm using closed-loop optogenetics to investigate whether appetitive and aversive taste memories can be formed by pairing gustatory stimuli with optogenetic activation of sensory or dopaminergic neurons. The goal is to probe plasticity mechanisms within the taste system and understand how taste responses depend on experience.

Results

Flies formed both appetitive and aversive short- and long-term taste memories through pairing tastants with optogenetic activation. Distinct dopaminergic PAM subpopulations drove parallel formation of short- and long-term appetitive memories. Long-term memories required protein synthesis and caloric nutrients including sucrose, lactic acid, yeast extract, and L-alanine.

Conclusion

Taste memories in Drosophila follow similar circuit and molecular principles as olfactory memories, demonstrating that taste responses are malleable and depend on experience. The findings suggest that lasting changes in taste value occur through temporal association with appetitive or aversive stimuli, with potential implications for understanding how taste preferences are shaped over an animal’s lifetime.
  • Published in:eLife,
  • Study Type:Experimental Research,
  • Source: 10.7554/eLife.81535
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