Study of Optimal Stimulation Parameters in Drosophila Based on a Baseline Control Model

Animals need to make context-appropriate decisions to survive and reproduce. However, the neural circuits underlying this essential cognitive function remains poorly understood. We proposed to unravel these mechanisms by establishing the fruit fly as a model of decision-making, using a combination of behavioral assays, whole-brain imaging of neural activity, connectomes as well as cell-type specific perturbations. This project will establish baseline controls and find optimal stimulus parameters to construct a quantitative understanding of decision-making in fruit flies and then uncover neural circuits and identify and manipulate decision-making neurons.