Bridi, Jessika Cristina

Faville, Richard

Hirth, Frank

Kottler, Benjamin David

Action selection is a prerequisite for decision-making and a fundamental aspect to anygoal-directed locomotion; it requires integration of sensory signals and internal statesto translate them into action sequences. Here, we introduce a novel behaviouralanalysis to study neural circuits and mechanisms underlying action selection anddecision-making in freely moving Drosophila. We discovered preferred patterns ofmotor activity and turning behaviour. These patterns are impaired in FoxP mutant flieswhich present an altered temporal organisation of motor actions and turning behaviour,reminiscent of indecisiveness. Then, focusing on central complex (CX) circuits knownto integrate different sensory modalities and controlling premotor regions, we show thataction sequences and turning behaviour are regulated by dopamine D1-like receptor(Dop1R1) signalling. Dop1R1 inputs onto CX columnar E-PG and ellipsoid body (EB)R2/R4m ring neuron circuits, both negatively gate motor activity but inversely controlturning behaviour. While flies deficient of D1 receptor signalling present normal turningbehaviour despite decreased activity, restoring Dop1R1 level in R2/R4m-specificcircuitry affects the temporal organisation of motor actions and turning. We finally showEB R2/R4m neurons are in contact with E-PG neurons that are thought to encode bodyorientation and heading direction of the fly. These findings suggest that Dop1R1signalling in E-PG and EB R2/4m circuits are compared against each other, therebymodulating patterns of activity and turning behaviour for goal-directed locomotion

Inverse control of turning behaviour by dopamine D1 receptor signalling in columnarwedge and ring neurons of the central complex in Drosophila

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