eLife · 16 October 2026 · From issue 53
Individual dopaminergic neurons induce unique, yet overlapping combinations of behavioural modulations, including safety learning, memory retrieval, and acute locomotion
In fruit fly larvae, single dopamine nerve cells can teach, store memory, and control movement together.
Naoko Toshima, Arman Behrad et al.
A single brain cell making the signal chemical dopamine can do several jobs at once. In baby fruit flies, one such cell helped the animal learn to avoid danger. The same cell also helped it recall safe places and changed how it moved, making it curl more and slow down. Each nerve cell tested had its own mix of these effects, but the effects often overlapped between cells.
Shown only in fruit fly larvae, using targeted activation of single nerve cells.
Fruit fly larvae only, lab study, no human data yet.
Integrity screen: passed (3 checks) Checked 20 October 2026. Retraction record: none. DOI resolves at doi.org. Metadata record found (eLife). Read the source
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