Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Chemically-fueled transient peptide hydrogel enabling programmable time-gated functions.

Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)·2026
Same author

Synaptic footprints of time in working memory.

eLife·2026
Same author

Memoir of the early years of the CSHL summer <i>Drosophila</i> neurobiology course: 1984-1985.

Journal of neurogenetics·2024
Same author

Publisher Correction: Differential mechanisms underlie trace and delay conditioning in Drosophila.

Nature·2022
Same author

Differential mechanisms underlie trace and delay conditioning in Drosophila.

Nature·2022
Same author

Valence opponency in peripheral olfactory processing.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2022

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 21, 2026

Preparing Adult Drosophila melanogaster for Whole Brain Imaging during Behavior and Stimuli Responses
07:51

Preparing Adult Drosophila melanogaster for Whole Brain Imaging during Behavior and Stimuli Responses

Published on: April 27, 2021

7.2K

Flyception: imaging brain activity in freely walking fruit flies.

Dhruv Grover1, Takeo Katsuki1, Ralph J Greenspan1,2,3

  • 1Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.

Nature Methods
|May 17, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed a new method to monitor brain activity in freely walking fruit flies using genetically encoded calcium sensors. This allows studying neural mechanisms underlying naturalistic behaviors without restricting movement.

More Related Videos

In Vivo Imaging of Neural Activity in Unanesthetized Drosophila Adult Flies
09:15

In Vivo Imaging of Neural Activity in Unanesthetized Drosophila Adult Flies

Published on: June 20, 2025

1.2K
Simultaneous Recording of Calcium Signals from Identified Neurons and Feeding Behavior of Drosophila melanogaster
06:55

Simultaneous Recording of Calcium Signals from Identified Neurons and Feeding Behavior of Drosophila melanogaster

Published on: April 26, 2012

16.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 21, 2026

Preparing Adult Drosophila melanogaster for Whole Brain Imaging during Behavior and Stimuli Responses
07:51

Preparing Adult Drosophila melanogaster for Whole Brain Imaging during Behavior and Stimuli Responses

Published on: April 27, 2021

7.2K
In Vivo Imaging of Neural Activity in Unanesthetized Drosophila Adult Flies
09:15

In Vivo Imaging of Neural Activity in Unanesthetized Drosophila Adult Flies

Published on: June 20, 2025

1.2K
Simultaneous Recording of Calcium Signals from Identified Neurons and Feeding Behavior of Drosophila melanogaster
06:55

Simultaneous Recording of Calcium Signals from Identified Neurons and Feeding Behavior of Drosophila melanogaster

Published on: April 26, 2012

16.1K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Genetics
  • Animal Behavior

Background:

  • Genetically encoded calcium sensors allow in vivo optical monitoring of neural activity.
  • Tethered imaging systems limit animal movement, impacting behavioral studies.
  • Understanding neural mechanisms of naturalistic behaviors requires unhindered observation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a method for monitoring brain activity in untethered, freely moving Drosophila melanogaster.
  • To enable the study of neural correlates of naturalistic behaviors in fruit flies.
  • To overcome limitations of tethered imaging in behavioral neuroscience.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized genetically encoded calcium sensors for neural activity monitoring.
  • Developed an optical imaging system for untethered Drosophila melanogaster.
  • Recorded brain activity during sensorially and socially evoked behaviors.

Main Results:

  • Successfully monitored brain activity in freely walking fruit flies.
  • Demonstrated the feasibility of studying naturalistic behaviors in untethered animals.
  • Established a new platform for neurobehavioral research in Drosophila.

Conclusions:

  • The developed method facilitates the study of neural mechanisms underlying naturalistic behaviors.
  • Untethered monitoring of brain activity in Drosophila melanogaster is achievable.
  • This approach advances the investigation of complex behaviors in neuroscience.