Hélène Coulom

TL;DR: A GAL4 driver transgene, TH-GAL4, containing regulatory sequences from the DTH 5' flanking and downstream coding regions is proposed that will be useful for studies of the role of DA in behavior and disease models in Drosophila.

TL;DR: Chronic exposure to pesticides recapitulates key aspects of PD in Drosophila and provides a new in vivo model for studying the mechanisms of dopaminergic neurodegeneration, supporting the idea that this agent may be beneficial in the treatment of PD.

TL;DR: It is shown that flies can perform complex brain functions in the absence of neural DA, whereas specific behaviors involving, in particular, arousal and choice require normal levels of this neuromodulator.

TL;DR: It is shown that blocking or overstimulating neuronal activity in the β' lobe, but not the β or γ lobes, significantly inhibits negative geotaxis behavior, suggesting that modulation of the mushroom body β' lobes by this dopaminergic pathway is specifically required for an efficient control of startle-induced locomotion in flies.

TL;DR: It is reported that Drosophila respond to extremely low levels of monochromatic blue light, implying separable pathways from light input to the behavioral outputs of masking versus circadian entrainment, with only the latter dependent on dopamine.