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Tue, 19 Apr 2022 18:35:08 -0400

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Using Behavioral Assays to Study Genes Associated with Autism and Schizophrenia in Drosophila Fruit Flies

Presenter: Francesca Burton

Co-presenters: Eva Stanley, Danielle Wilson

Mentor: Fernando Vonhoff (Biological Sciences)

Abstract:

Autism and schizophrenia are neurological disorders known to share numerous similarities at the anatomical and behavioral levels. For example, both disorders are associated with deficient mechanisms underlying synaptic refinement, which is a process that regulates precise connectivity within neuronal networks. At the behavioral level, one of the most notable characteristics of autism is low sociability. By contrast, schizophrenia is a chronic neuropsychiatric condition impacting an individual’s ability to interpret and experience reality. Current animal models attempt to replicate deficits and symptoms experienced by human patients, representing a challenging task due to the complexity of the disorders. Here, we review behavioral assays previously used to study both disorders. For genes associated with autism, we will assess the effects of gene misregulation on sociability using a fruit fly model. We will compare the social patterns of control flies to those of flies with genetic manipulations of autism candidate genes. Our goals are to determine which candidate genes have an effect on social patterns and to develop models to study representative phenotypes associated with both disorders. Overall, developing accurate and predictive animal models may be critical for furthering our understanding of the disorder's origin and pathology, as well as developing effective treatments.

Francesca, Eva, and Danielle Meyerhoff Scholars.