Brain transcriptome changes in the aging Drosophila melanogaster accompany olfactory memory performance deficits

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Genomics
• Aging Research

Background:

• Cognitive decline is a natural part of aging.
• Understanding age-related molecular changes in the brain is crucial.
• The fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) is a valuable model for aging studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate age-dependent changes in the whole-brain transcriptome of Drosophila melanogaster.
• To identify molecular pathways affected by aging in the fruit fly brain.
• To correlate gene expression changes with cognitive performance during aging.

Main Methods:

• RNA-Sequencing of dissected brain samples from flies of different ages (5, 20, 30, 40 days).
• Differential gene expression analysis, temporal clustering, and co-expression network analysis.
• Gene ontology enrichment analysis and olfactory memory performance testing.

Main Results:

• A decline in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation gene expression with age was observed.
• In females, neuronal function gene expression declined and then unexpectedly recovered later in life.
• Older flies exhibited deficits in short-term olfactory memory, correlating with transcriptomic changes.

Conclusions:

• This study provides the first comprehensive transcriptome profile of aging fruit fly brains in both sexes.
• Identified age-related gene expression patterns offer insights into molecular mechanisms of cognitive decline.
• The findings establish a valuable resource for aging and cognitive decline research in Drosophila melanogaster.