• Neuronal pathways involved in operant learning
  • Parva Nasimi,1,* Aref Chenani,2 Hossein Khanafereh,3 Hamidreza Panahifar,4 Raya Bonakdar,5 Atena Mehdipour,6
    1. Neurogenetics Department, Regensburg University, Germany
    2. Imam Jafar Sadegh Laboratory and Research Center
    3. Imam Jafar Sadegh Laboratory and Research Center
    4. Imam Jafar Sadegh Laboratory and Research Center
    5. Imam Jafar Sadegh Laboratory and Research Center
    6. Imam Jafar Sadegh Laboratory and Research Center


  • Introduction: Animal's survival and reproduction depend on two different learning processes which are studied experimentally applying classical or Pavlovian conditioning and operant or instrumental conditioning.
  • Methods: The paper has been written based on published articles relevant to operant learning.
  • Results: In Drosophila, the inhibition of operant learning system by classical learning system prevents direct modification of the behavior and keeps the memory flexible. After extended periods of time in this situation, a mushroom body (MB) mediated inhibition is overcome and the behavior is modified by operant learning system, which may improve efficiency but also leads to habitual responses and inflexibility.
  • Conclusion: Certain MB output neurons (MBONs) are specialized for world and operant conditionings using visual stimuli. Flies can learn specific visual patterns by forming associations between punishment and color as a visual stimulus. Complex learning behaviors can be observed in flies and a great deal of effort has been devoted to understand the neural circuits that underlie operant learning behaviors. Evidence shows different levels of divergence of postsynaptic connections of MBONs throughout the brain. The major input from the MB onto fan-shaped body (FSB), protocerebrum, and lateral accessory lobe (LAL) , suggest these brain regions as main candidates for descending information from the MB to the motor centers.
  • Keywords: Drosophila, MBONs, LAL, FSB, MB, Learning