Fruit fly brain map against neurodegenerative diseases

The recent publication of the most complete map of the fruit fly brain is a starting point for a scientific revolution. Two research teams have spent twelve years studying how the brains of these insects work share He 60% of human DNAThis work therefore presents great scientific interest and may represent a great advance toward the understanding of human consciousness. Juan Tejon and Mar Magro report in video,

Experts emphasize that this milestone is an important first step in perfecting and understanding the larger brain. Furthermore, since fruit flies are so common in research, brain map can be used for our progress Understanding how they work Circuit nerve,

In fact, researchers have found out, because this tiny insect has more in common with humans than we ever imagined.

“A man has to convince the woman that he wants to have children with her. It is exactly the same in humans as it is in flies. requirements Are Self“They have to eat, they have to sleep, they have to grow…” explains Albert Cardona, a neuroscientist at the University of Cambridge.

With 60% of our genes shared, knowing their nature could mean progress in the fight against Disease neurodegenerative: “We will at least be able to understand what happens in cells in diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and then try to understand how it can be cured; how can do preventCardona says.

fruit fly has a brain 140,000 neurons with 55 million connections“For example, we can compare a fly that has a disease like Alzheimer’s. Then, we can compare what happens in that healthy brain – a control brain – with the brain we call sick,” says researcher Javier Morante of the Alicante Institute of Neurosciences.

The next milestone will be achieved within a decade, when Circuit of Brain of MiceThe final stage of attaining man.

In this regard, Dr. Gregory Jefferis of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology and the University of Cambridge, who was one of the co-leaders of the research, stressed in a statement that “If we want to understand how the brain works, we need one Understanding mechanic Of As All neurons fit together “For most brains, we have no idea how these networks work,” he said, noting the first wiring diagram of each neuron in an insect brain.

“Flies can do all kinds of complex things, like walk, fly, navigate, and have males sing to females. The brain wiring diagram is the first step in understanding all the things we are interested in: how we make our movement. Control, answer the phone or we recognize a friend.

In this sense, scientists discovered that there were substantial similarities The wiring between this map and previous small-scale efforts that have mapped parts of the fly brain. This led researchers to conclude that there are many similarities in the wiring between different brains. Every brain is not a unique structure Like snowflakes.

Thus, by comparing their brain diagram with previous diagrams of smaller brain regions, the researchers also found that approximately 0.5% of neurons to pass growth variations Due to which the connections between neurons may get damaged. Therefore, the researchers state that this will be an important area for future research to understand whether these changes are related to personality. disorders cerebral,