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. 2013 May 31;4(7):512–519. doi: 10.1007/s13238-013-3035-8

The differential requirement of mushroom body α/β subdivisions in long-term memory retrieval in Drosophila

Cheng Huang 13035, Pengzhi Wang 13035, Zhiyong Xie 13035, Lianzhang Wang 13035, Yi Zhong 13035,23035,✉
PMCID: PMC4875512  PMID: 23722532

Abstract

The mushroom body (MB), a bilateral brain structure possessing about 2000–2500 neurons per hemisphere, plays a central role in olfactory learning and memory in Drosophila melanogaster. Extensive studies have demonstrated that three major types of MB neurons (α/β, α′/β′ and Γ) exhibit distinct functions in memory processing, including the critical role of approximately 1000 MB α/β neurons in retrieving long-term memory. Inspired by recent findings that MB α/β neurons can be further divided into three subdivisions (surface, posterior and core) and wherein the α/β core neurons play an permissive role in long-term memory consolidation, we examined the functional differences of all the three morphological subdivisions of MB α/β by temporally precise manipulation of their synaptic outputs during long-term memory retrieval. We found the normal neurotransmission from a combination of MB α/β surface and posterior neurons is necessary for retrieving both aversive and appetitive long-term memory, whereas output from MB α/β posterior or core subdivision alone is dispensable. These results imply a specific requirement of about 500 MB α/β neurons in supporting long-term memory retrieval and a further functional partitioning for memory processing within the MB α/β region.

Keywords: memory retrieval, neural circuits, aversive olfactory conditioning, appetitive olfactory conditioning, mushroom body

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