Characterizing the Post-Synaptic Partners of Ascending Histaminergic Neurons in Drosophila melanogaster

Marryn Bennett, Kaitlyn Boone, Kevin Daly, Andrew Dacks
Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505

Presentation Category: Science & Technology (Oral Presentation)

Student’s Major: Biology

Once an organism has the ability to move it must also be able to distinguish between external stimuli brought on by that motion and the external stimuli that are not. Corollary discharge circuits (CDC) allow for this distinction by comparing the two stimuli. It is hypothesized that two pairs of histaminergic neurons in the central nervous system of Drosophila melanogaster are part of CDCs because they receive input in motor areas, project throughout the ventral nerve cord and to sensory regions of the brain. Thus, in order to ascertain the behavioral significance of the CDCs involving histamine producing neurons in Drosophila melanogaster it is necessary to identify the postsynaptic partners of these neurons. Using a whole ventral nerve cord electron microscopy volume, I reconstructed postsynaptic partners of these candidate histamine producing neurons across different regions of the ventral nerve cord. The preliminary results suggest that these CDCs primarily target motor neurons and descending neurons that project from the brain to the ventral nerve cord.

Funding: USAFOSR FA9550-17-1-0117

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: a West Virginia SURE program