This article
interestingly looks at a fruit flies brain to study aggression. The most interesting part of the study
is that fruit flies brain is not far from a human’s brain and can be used to
potentially learn more about the human brain. The article begins by stating that males are typically known
for their aggression in the animal kingdom as well as fruit flies. What is interesting “one gene and a tiny group of neurons, sometimes as few
as three, present only in the brains of male fruit flies, that can control
aggression.” The gene is also
found in mammals and maybe humans.
The quote that is the most striking is how the study is a “striking
indication of how brain structure and chemistry work together, as well as a
reminder that as different as humans and flies are, they are not always very
far apart.” In addition the study
also unintentionally found a connection between flies and mammals for social
behavior. For potential uses the
gene could be tested for symptoms like uncontrollable anger that can affect
people with illnesses like post-traumatic stress syndrome. This article is interesting to see the
similarity of animals and insects brains to even humans.
Joe
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