Unraveling gut-brain crosstalk: Lessons from Drosophila and other insect models

Bidirectional communication between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system is emerging as a fundamental regulatory principle across animal phyla. Insects, the model organism Drosophila melanogaster in particular, have become powerful models for dissecting this crosstalk at cellular and molecular resolution. Recent advances reveal conserved enteroendocrine neuropeptide signaling pathways and neuronal circuits that regulate feeding behavior, metabolism, and physiological homeostasis. Here we review progress over the past decade, highlight mechanistic insights that are broadly relevant to mammalian biology, and discuss open questions that insect models are positioned to address.