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Caspase inhibition in select olfactory neurons restores innate attraction behavior in aged Drosophila

Academic Article
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Overview

authors

  • Chihara, T.
  • Kitabayashi, A.
  • Morimoto, M.
  • Takeuchi, K.
  • Masuyama, K.
  • Tonoki, A.
  • Davis, Ronald
  • Wang, J. W.
  • Miura, M.

publication date

  • June 2014

journal

  • PLoS Genetics  Journal

abstract

  • Sensory and cognitive performance decline with age. Neural dysfunction caused by nerve death in senile dementia and neurodegenerative disease has been intensively studied; however, functional changes in neural circuits during the normal aging process are not well understood. Caspases are key regulators of cell death, a hallmark of age-related neurodegeneration. Using a genetic probe for caspase-3-like activity (DEVDase activity), we have mapped age-dependent neuronal changes in the adult brain throughout the lifespan of Drosophila. Spatio-temporally restricted caspase activation was observed in the antennal lobe and ellipsoid body, brain structures required for olfaction and visual place memory, respectively. We also found that caspase was activated in an age-dependent manner in specific subsets of Drosophila olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs), Or42b and Or92a neurons. These neurons are essential for mediating innate attraction to food-related odors. Furthermore, age-induced impairments of neural transmission and attraction behavior could be reversed by specific inhibition of caspase in these ORNs, indicating that caspase activation in Or42b and Or92a neurons is responsible for altering animal behavior during normal aging.

subject areas

  • Aging
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Apoptosis
  • Behavior, Animal
  • Brain Mapping
  • Caspase 3
  • Chemotaxis
  • Dendrites
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Drosophila melanogaster
  • Malus
  • Olfactory Receptor Neurons
  • Receptors, Odorant
  • Smell
  • Synaptic Transmission
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Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC4072539

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 1553-7390

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004437

PubMed ID

  • 24967585
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Additional Document Info

start page

  • e1004437

volume

  • 10

issue

  • 6

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