A Single Olfactory Neuron Triggers Two Behaviors in Fruit Flies

A single olfactory neuron triggers two behaviors in fruit flies

The same neuron can tell fruit flies to walk toward the smell of rotting fruit and speed up, according to new research from Yale scientists. Neurobiologists once believed that each neuron held a single purpose. However, in recent decades, research suggests that some neurons are multifunctional.

Researchers find one neuron can send multiple messages

In fruit fly brains, one neuron can trigger two different types of behavior in response to an attractive odor.