Neuropeptide signalling and perineurial barrier stress response mechanisms generate post-traumatic state in drosophila

Abstract

Although fear conditioning has elucidated cue-evoked acute fear responses, the mechanisms by which stress experiences induce generalized internal states linked to anxiety are poorly understood. In this doctoral thesis, I report that robust stress induces a persistent behavioural change characterized by avoidance of a confined space, claustrophobia-like behaviour in Drosophila, which is not associated with specific cues. Unlike aversive memory formation, the development of claustrophobia-like behavior does not require dopamine receptors. Neuronal screening determined that neuropeptide signalling via Allatostatin-A inactivates the downstream neurons via its receptor AstA-R1, causally inducing claustrophobia-like behavior. Moreover, gene expression profiling of individual fly heads revealed that immune response activation in perineurial barrier is involved in claustrophobia-like behavior. These data demonstrate that stress-induced persistent behavioural change would not be related to a canonical mechanism of aversive memory formation, rather involves neuropeptidergic signalling and perineurial barrier, providing the mechanism determining internal states which persistently change behavioural modes.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Supervisor	Yukinori HIRANO (Supervisor)