Viewing A Working Brain: As The Fly Walks

First Peek into the Brain of a freely Walking Fruit Fly

University of California - San Diego, Kavli Institute via PhyOrg | May 17, 2016

Researchers at the Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind at the University of California San Diego have developed a technique for imaging brain activity in a freely walking fruit fly. Working with one of the most common model organisms in science, Drosophila melanogaster, the team shows for the first time what goes on in the brain of the fly during courtship—when it's unrestrained.

Equipment setup. Source; http://neurosciencenews.com/neuroimaging-fly-walking-4234/flyception-setup-neurosciencenews/

The images above are examples of the kind of imaging that is possible in earlier work at Northwestern Univeristy. "Neurobiologists have found a way of 'eavesdropping' on the messages sent between neurons in the brains of fruit flies. They used flourescent tags that light up when a signal is exchanged (pictured). It allowed them to see how the brains react to sensory experiences like smelling a banana or changes in temperature." "These fluorescent tags continued to glow for between 10 minutes to an hour, meaning the scientists could 'eavesdrop' on what had been going on in the insects' mind." Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3345835/Reading-mind-FRUIT-FLY-Scientists-eavesdrop-signals-messages-sent-inside-insect-s-brain.html

"At left, surgically created imaging window on the fruit fly head." Source: http://phys.org/news/2016-05-peek-brain-freely-fruit.html

<more at http://phys.org/news/2016-05-peek-brain-freely-fruit.html; related articles and links: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3345835/Reading-mind-FRUIT-FLY-Scientists-eavesdrop-signals-messages-sent-inside-insect-s-brain.html (Reading the mind of a FRUIT FLY: Scientists 'eavesdrop' on signals and messages sent inside the insect's brain. Scientists added fluorescent tags to the neurons in the brains of fruit flies. These lit up when the neurons exchanged messages over their synapses. The colours continued to glow for up to an hour after a message was sent. It gives a long-lasting record of sensory experiences flies had in the past. December 4, 2015) and http://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/pub/115740.php (+Video) (Flyception Movie (VIDEO). May 17, 2016)>