Various Behavioural Assays to Detect the Neuronal Abnormality in Flies

Abstract

The survivability of a motile organism depends on the ability to respond to various stimuli. Drosophila possesses a robust behavioural response towards the external stimuli in various developmental stages. Those behaviours are used to screen the abnormalities in larvae and adults. In the larval stage, third inster larvae are used to screen the behavioural defects. Behaviours like crawling, touch sensitivity, temperature sensitivity, light sensitivity, sound avoidance and self-right behaviours are checked in larvae. Whereas, in adults, climbing, phototaxis, temperature sensitivity, chemotaxis, sound avoidance and choice assay are commonly investigated. Each behavioural assay has a score to detect the abnormality. Accordingly, the defect in various organs at different developmental stages can be calculated. The current chapter describes various behavioural assays in larvae and adult to detect the physiological abnormality in flies.