Hyperexcitation of Monoaminergic Neurons in the Drosophila Mushroom Body Disrupts Memory for Visually Oriented Rival-induced Prolonged Mating

Abstract

Male individuals frequently require a prolongation of their mating duration in order to outcompete their rivals for few reproductive chances. This study looks into the roles of monoaminergic neurons in the Drosophila melanogaster mushroom body (MB) as major regulators of males' rival-induced prolonged mating duration (LMD) behavior. Activation screening experiments revealed that hyperexcitation of monoaminergic neurons in the MB, including serotonergic neurons and dopaminergic neurons, disrupts LMD without affecting copulation latency. The co-expression of MB-specific GAL80 (GAL80^MB247) with the monoaminergic GAL4 drivers rescues LMD, confirming the involvement of monoaminergic neurons in the MB. The hyperexcitation of inhibitory GABAergic neurons disrupts mating, but this effect is alleviated by GAL80^MB247 inhibitors, suggesting that critical GABAergic neurons for LMD reside within the MB. In summary, the activation of monoaminergic neurons in the MB disrupts LMD memory, while the hyperactivation of inhibitory GABAergic neurons in the MB impairs mating success. These findings implicate the MB as a crucial neural circuit for integrating visual and social cues to generate memory for LMD behavior.