This review focuses on neuropeptides and peptide hormones, the largest and most diverse
class of neuroactive substances, known in Drosophila and other animals to play roles in …

Plasticity in animal behaviour relies on the ability to integrate external and internal cues from
the changing environment and hence modulate activity in synaptic circuits of the brain. This …

Behavioral choice is ubiquitous in the animal kingdom and is central to goal-oriented
behavior. Hypothalamic Agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons are critical regulators of …

Oncosis (from Greek ónkos, meaning “swelling”) is a non-apoptotic cell death process
related to energy depletion. In contrast to apoptosis, which is the main form of cell death …

Metabolites are active controllers of cellular physiology, but their role in complex behaviors
is less clear. Here we report metabolic changes that occur during the transition between …

Adaptive trade-offs between foraging and social behavior intuitively explain many aspects of
individual decision-making. Given the intimate connection between social behavior and …

Animals constantly need to judge the valence of an object in their environment: is it potential
food or a threat? The brain makes fundamental decisions on the appropriate behavioral …

Independent origins of sociality in bees and ants are associated with independent
expansions of particular odorant receptor (OR) gene subfamilies. In ants, one clade within …

Salient sensory stimuli are perceived by the brain, which guides both the timing and
outcome of behaviors in a context-dependent manner. Light is such a stimulus, which is …

Background Fast responses can provide a competitive advantage when resources are
inhomogeneously distributed. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was shown to …