The influence of light on temperature preference in Drosophila.

Ambient light affects multiple physiological functions and behaviors, such as circadian rhythms, sleep-wake activities, and development, from flies to mammals. Mammals exhibit a higher body temperature when exposed to acute light compared to when they are exposed to the dark, but the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. The body temperature of small ectotherms, such as Drosophila, relies on the temperature of their surrounding environment, and these animals exhibit a robust temperature preference behavior. Here, we demonstrate that Drosophila prefer a ∼1° higher temperature when exposed to acute light rather than the dark. This acute light response, light-dependent temperature preference (LDTP), was observed regardless of the time of day, suggesting that LDTP is regulated separately from the circadian clock. However, screening of eye and circadian clock mutants suggests that the circadian clock neurons posterior dorsal neurons 1 (DN1(p)s) and Pigment-Dispersing Factor Receptor (PDFR) play a role in LDTP. To further investigate the role of DN1(p)s in LDTP, PDFR in DN1(p)s was knocked down, resulting in an abnormal LDTP. The phenotype of the pdfr mutant was rescued sufficiently by expressing PDFR in DN1(p)s, indicating that PDFR in DN1(p)s is responsible for LDTP. These results suggest that light positively influences temperature preference via the circadian clock neurons, DN1(p)s, which may result from the integration of light and temperature information. Given that both Drosophila and mammals respond to acute light by increasing their body temperature, the effect of acute light on temperature regulation may be conserved evolutionarily between flies and humans.

Bilingualism as a potential strategy to improve executive function in preterm infants: a review.

Preterm birth is associated with long-term deficits in executive functioning and cognitive performance. Using the model of brain plasticity as a theoretical framework, it is possible that preterm infants' neurodevelopmental sequelae can be altered. Evidence suggests that bilingualism confers cognitive advantages on executive functioning, so it is possible that bilingualism may improve preterm infants' neurodevelopment. However, bilingualism has only been studied in term children. This review examined literature that compared the performance of preterm-born children to term children and bilingual children to monolingual children on executive function tasks. To address cognitive disparities in preterm-born children, studies investigating the effect of bilingualism on preterm infants' executive functioning is warranted.

The effect of kangaroo care on neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants.

Preterm birth is associated with long-term deficits in executive functioning and cognitive performance. As advances in neonatal care enable more preterm infants to survive, development of strategies to address high rates of neurodevelopmental disabilities and poor academic achievement in preterm infants are crucial. Evidence suggests that infants' brains are plastic in nature and, therefore, can be shaped by the environment. Kangaroo care has become popularized as a means of modifying the stress of the NICU environment. However, few studies have examined whether kangaroo care affects neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants. This review examined available literature that investigated the effect of kangaroo care on cognition in preterm infants. Current evidence suggests that short-term benefits of kangaroo care are associated with improved neurodevelopment. However, few studies have examined the long-term impact of kangaroo care on cognitive outcomes in preterm infants. To address neurological disparities in children born preterm, research using kangaroo care as a strategy to improve neurodevelopment in preterm infants is warranted.

Circadian rhythm of temperature preference and its neural control in Drosophila.

A daily body temperature rhythm (BTR) is critical for the maintenance of homeostasis in mammals. Whereas mammals use internal energy to regulate body temperature, ectotherms typically regulate body temperature behaviorally [1]. Some ectotherms maintain homeostasis via a daily temperature preference rhythm (TPR) [2], but the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Here, we show that Drosophila exhibit a daily circadian clock-dependent TPR that resembles mammalian BTR. Pacemaker neurons critical for locomotor activity are not necessary for TPR; instead, the dorsal neuron 2 s (DN2s), whose function was previously unknown, is sufficient. This indicates that TPR, like BTR, is controlled independently from locomotor activity. Therefore, the mechanisms controlling temperature fluctuations in fly TPR and mammalian BTR may share parallel features. Taken together, our results reveal the existence of a novel DN2-based circadian neural circuit that specifically regulates TPR; thus, understanding the mechanisms of TPR will shed new light on the function and neural control of circadian rhythms.