Consolidation In Drosophila
1. What is the main question this paper is trying to address?
The main question that the authors of the paper are trying to answer is whether delayed long-term memory consolidation of certain learning experiences that is observed in mammals is also present in other animals, specifically in Drosophila, and if so, to try to understand the neural pathways that are involved in the process of memory acquisition and consolidation, and understanding how the information acquired from the learning experience is stored and protected during the period of delay.
In other words, the researchers are trying to investigate the mechanisms of long-term memory consolidation in Drosophila through a courtship memory paradigm so as to determine whether some of the …show more content…
2. Do you think the data provide an answer to this question? Give 2 examples of data from the figures that you think provides an answer to the question.
The data provided in the paper definitely provide an answer to the general question addressed by the authors and to its more specific branches. For example, Figure 1 presents results from testing the impact of dopamine stimulation on the consolidation of short-term memory. The research compared the behavior of males that went through a courtship learning experience enough to establish short-term memory only, and other males who, in addition to that, underwent stimulation of the dopaminergic pathways. As shown in the figure, the leaning index was much higher in the males that had the dopaminergic stimulation after the learning the learning experience. In contrast, the males who only had the training and were exposed to the learning experience and the one who only had the dopamine stimulation with no training did not demonstrate any consolidation of short-term memory. Therefore, …show more content…
The researchers have shown that these two proteins are involved in memory through different mechanisms. Orb2A and its Q domain, according to the authors, is necessary in the MB neurons during the learning phase and memory acquisition, and which also plays a role in long-term memory formation. The results show that Orb2A were almost exclusively found in the synapses of the MB γ neurons for subsequent memory consolidation. The way they are believed to that, as suggested by the authors, is that they recruit Orb2B to form a complex, the Orb2 complex, which regulates the translation of CaMKII that is thought to be involved in memory persistence. Further results mentioned in the paper mention that dopamine stimulation results in the formation of the Orb2 complex, meaning Orb2A that recruits Orb2B, which in turn regulates the translation of CaMKII and probably other molecules involved in synaptic plasticity by tagging specific synapses which eventually plays a role in memory consolidation. Therefore, we can say that Orb2A is necessary in the long-term memory pathway as key factor in memory acquisition leading to eventually to long-term
The main question that the authors of the paper are trying to answer is whether delayed long-term memory consolidation of certain learning experiences that is observed in mammals is also present in other animals, specifically in Drosophila, and if so, to try to understand the neural pathways that are involved in the process of memory acquisition and consolidation, and understanding how the information acquired from the learning experience is stored and protected during the period of delay.
In other words, the researchers are trying to investigate the mechanisms of long-term memory consolidation in Drosophila through a courtship memory paradigm so as to determine whether some of the …show more content…
2. Do you think the data provide an answer to this question? Give 2 examples of data from the figures that you think provides an answer to the question.
The data provided in the paper definitely provide an answer to the general question addressed by the authors and to its more specific branches. For example, Figure 1 presents results from testing the impact of dopamine stimulation on the consolidation of short-term memory. The research compared the behavior of males that went through a courtship learning experience enough to establish short-term memory only, and other males who, in addition to that, underwent stimulation of the dopaminergic pathways. As shown in the figure, the leaning index was much higher in the males that had the dopaminergic stimulation after the learning the learning experience. In contrast, the males who only had the training and were exposed to the learning experience and the one who only had the dopamine stimulation with no training did not demonstrate any consolidation of short-term memory. Therefore, …show more content…
The researchers have shown that these two proteins are involved in memory through different mechanisms. Orb2A and its Q domain, according to the authors, is necessary in the MB neurons during the learning phase and memory acquisition, and which also plays a role in long-term memory formation. The results show that Orb2A were almost exclusively found in the synapses of the MB γ neurons for subsequent memory consolidation. The way they are believed to that, as suggested by the authors, is that they recruit Orb2B to form a complex, the Orb2 complex, which regulates the translation of CaMKII that is thought to be involved in memory persistence. Further results mentioned in the paper mention that dopamine stimulation results in the formation of the Orb2 complex, meaning Orb2A that recruits Orb2B, which in turn regulates the translation of CaMKII and probably other molecules involved in synaptic plasticity by tagging specific synapses which eventually plays a role in memory consolidation. Therefore, we can say that Orb2A is necessary in the long-term memory pathway as key factor in memory acquisition leading to eventually to long-term