Study effects of age-induced memory decline using operant conditioning assay in Drosophila melanogaster
1 University of Bonn
Aging is a universal process that affects our physical functions and cognitive abilities. While our crystalized intelligence remains stable, working memory declines rapidly with age. Despite extensive research on age-related memory decline, the effect of aging on operant conditional learning in flies is poorly understood. Operant conditioning allows the animal to adapt its behaviour to increase its chances of acquiring rewarding stimuli and minimize the probability of exposure to aversive stimuli. We use a single-fly feeding assay that measures food intake coupled with closed-loop optogenetics stimulation to induce operant conditioning to study the effect of aging on working memory. In this experimental paradigm, each fly can choose between two drops of sucrose. Interaction with one of the two drops triggers optogenetic stimulation of a population of neurons of interest, namely the appetitive (PAM) or aversive (PPL) dopaminergic neurons (DANs). Interaction with the second drop does not trigger any light stimulus. During the one-hour assay, we monitored changes in the feeding response of flies towards the drop of sucrose paired with activation of aversive neurons over the non-conditioned drop of sucrose. In ongoing experiments, we are assessing the effect of aging and the loss of candidate aging-related genes on operant conditioning.