Serotonergic Modulation of Aggression in Drosophila Involves GABAergic and Cholinergic Opposing Pathways.
Curr Biol
; 29(13): 2145-2156.e5, 2019 07 08.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31231050
ABSTRACT
Pathological aggression is commonly associated with psychiatric and neurological disorders and can impose a substantial burden and cost on human society. Serotonin (5HT) has long been implicated in the regulation of aggression in a wide variety of animal species. In Drosophila, a small group of serotonergic neurons selectively modulates the escalation of aggression. Here, we identified downstream targets of serotonergic input-two types of neurons with opposing roles in aggression control. The dendritic fields of both neurons converge on a single optic glomerulus LC12, suggesting a key pathway linking visual input to the aggression circuitry. The first type is an inhibitory GABAergic neuron its activation leads to a decrease in aggression. The second neuron type is excitatory its silencing reduces and its activation increases aggression. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) profiling of this neuron type identified that it uses acetylcholine as a neurotransmitter and likely expresses 5HT1A, short neuropeptide F receptor (sNPFR), and the resistant to dieldrin (RDL) category of GABA receptors. Knockdown of RDL receptors in these neurons increases aggression, suggesting the possibility of a direct crosstalk between the inhibitory GABAergic and the excitatory cholinergic neurons. Our data show further that neurons utilizing serotonin, GABA, ACh, and short neuropeptide F interact in the LC12 optic glomerulus. Parallel cholinergic and GABAergic pathways descending from this sensory integration area may be key elements in fine-tuning the regulation of aggression.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Serotonin
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Drosophila melanogaster
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Cholinergic Neurons
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GABAergic Neurons
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Serotonergic Neurons
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Journal:
Curr Biol
Journal subject:
BIOLOGIA
Year:
2019
Document type:
Article