Background Activity-dependent modulation of sensory systems has been documented in
many organisms and is likely to be essential for appropriate processing of information during …

Flying generates predictably different patterns of optic flow compared with other locomotor
states. A sensorimotor system tuned to rapid responses and a high bandwidth of optic flow …

Sensory neurons are mostly studied in fixed animals, but their response properties might
change when the animal is free to move. Indeed, recent studies found differences between …

Insect flight is one of the fastest, most intense and most energy-demanding motor behaviors.
It is modulated on multiple levels by the biogenic amine octopamine. Within the CNS …

The behavioral state of an animal can dynamically modulate visual processing. In flies, the
behavioral state is known to alter the temporal tuning of neurons that carry visual motion …

Active locomotive states are metabolically expensive and require efficient sensory
processing both to avoid wasteful movements and to cope with an extended bandwidth of …

Behavioral reactions of animals to environmental sensory stimuli are sometimes reflexive
and stereotyped but can also vary depending on contextual conditions. Engaging in active …

The characteristic crawling behavior of Drosophila larvae consists of a series of rhythmic
waves of peristalsis and episodes of head swinging and turning. The two biogenic amines …

Sleep length and metabolic dysfunction are correlated, but the causal relationship between
these processes is unclear. Octopamine promotes wakefulness in the fly by acting through …

Starved animals often exhibit elevated locomotion, which has been speculated to partly
resemble foraging behavior and facilitate food acquisition and energy intake. Despite its …