Data from: Modulation of social space by dopamine in Drosophila melanogaster, but no effect on the avoidance of the Drosophila stress odorant

Appropriate response to others is necessary for social interactions. Yet little is known about how neurotransmitters regulate attractive and repulsive social cues. Using genetic and pharmacological manipulations in Drosophila melanogaster, we show that dopamine is contributing the response to others in a social group, specifically, social spacing, but not the avoidance of odours released by stressed flies (dSO). Interestingly, this dopamine-mediated behaviour is prominent only in the day-time, and its effect varies depending on tissue, sex and type of manipulation. Furthermore, alteration of dopamine levels has no effect on dSO avoidance regardless of sex, which suggests that a different neurotransmitter regulates this response.

在社会互动中，对他人做出恰当反应是必不可少的。然而，目前对于神经递质如何调控兼具吸引与排斥属性的社会信号（social cues）仍缺乏深入认知。本研究通过对黑腹果蝇（Drosophila melanogaster）开展遗传与药理学操控实验，证实多巴胺参与群居果蝇对同类的行为响应，具体体现为对社会间距的调控，但不影响果蝇对受胁迫果蝇释放气味（dSO）的回避行为。值得注意的是，这种多巴胺介导的行为仅在日间表现显著，且其效应会因组织类型、性别以及操控方式的不同而发生变化。此外，无论性别如何，多巴胺水平的改变均不会影响果蝇对dSO的回避行为，这提示另有其他神经递质调控该类响应。