Memory molecules in insects: from studies of memory mutants in the fruit fly <I>Drosophila melanogaster</I>

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  • 昆虫の記憶関連分子：ショウジョウバエの学習・記憶変異体の研究から
  • コンチュウ ノ キオク カンレン ブンシ ショウジョウバエ ノ ガクシュウ キオク ヘンイタイ ノ ケンキュウ カラ

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Abstract

Learning and memory are fundamental higher brain functions that allow an animal to adapt to the environment. Studies in a variety of animals such as mollusks, insects and mammals have shown that memories contain various phases from short-term memories in the range of minutes to long-term memories lasting a lifetime. Different intercellular molecules have been implicated in distinct aspects of learning and memory formation. For convenience, these molecules are sometimes termed ‘memory molecules’. Insects have high learning ability despite their simple nervous systems with relatively small number of neurons, and thus are suitable for studying learning and memory. Specifically, fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is one of the well-studied animals in the field of memory molecules. The application of the mutagenic approach to the study of olfactory learning and memory in Drosophila has yielded insights into the participation of numerous memory molecules. In this review, we briefly describe memory mutants in Drosophila and the molecular mechanisms that contribute to the various forms of memory.

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