The researchers used this to create a comprehensive map of the so-called connectome of the fruit fly. This map shows how neuronal circuits run across the entire central nervous system. Particular attention was paid to the so-called cervical connectome, the interface between the brain and the nerve cord, which has hardly been researched to date. In the study, neuronal data sets from female and male animals were compared. For the first time, nerve cells were identified that only occur in one sex. One of these cells, the descending neuron aSP22, showed different connections in the female and male nervous system. When this neuron is activated, it leads to abdominal stretching in females in preparation for egg laying, while in males it leads to forward movement of the abdomen for mating. These sex-specific differences at the cellular level provide important insights into the neuronal basis of behaviour and communication in insects. At the same time, the now published connectome map is a valuable tool for further research. It should make future experiments on the function of individual nerve cells and entire circuits much more efficient and targeted. The research team is already working on two new data sets that will map the entire central nervous system of a female and a male animal.
Publication of the "European Commission" from 07.05.2025