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SUMMARY:Bending the not so simple mind of the fruit fly - Scott Waddell Ph
 .D Professor of Neurobiology\, University of Oxford
DTSTART:20120510T133000Z
DTEND:20120510T143000Z
UID:TALK37503@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Alison Read
DESCRIPTION:Directed behaviour emerges from neural integration of sensory 
 stimuli\, memory of prior experience and internal states. We seek an under
 standing of these conserved neural mechanisms using genetically-encoded to
 ols and the relatively small brain of Drosophila. By temporally controllin
 g neural function memories can be implanted and internal states altered so
  that most flies behave according to our direction. Such recent studies ha
 ve revealed a role for distinct subsets of dopaminergic neurons that inner
 vate the mushroom bodies in reward learning and the control of motivated f
 ly behaviour. Therefore\, the positive reinforcement system of flies is mo
 re similar to that of mammals than previously envisaged.\n	One might inter
 pret the relative ease of altering behaviour to indicate that everything i
 s simple in the fly brain. However\, complexity arises in unexpected ways.
  Cell-type specific gene expression profiling revealed transposable elemen
 t expression in long-term memory relevant neuronsofthemushroom bo
 dy. Importantly\, brain-specific transposable element excision and inserti
 on is heterogeneous within and between fly brains. Since neural expression
  and retrotransposition of LINE-1 transposable elements has been observed 
 in mammals\, it appears that genomic heterogeneity is a conserved feature 
 of the brain. We propose that it may prove beneficial to specific cell-typ
 es and neural processes and could plausibly contribute to behavioural indi
 viduality.\n
LOCATION:Part II room\,  Department of Genetics
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