Research on the Mushroom Body of Insects

The mushroom body represents the main sensory integrative center of an insect's brain and plays a major role in the adaptation of behavioral responses to the environment.Early studies have described these structures as centers of intelligence with the advanced functions of brains;at present, the mushroom bodies are regarded as idealized models for studying the neural basis of learning and memory.Methods of intervention in Drosophila and other insects reveal that the mushroom bodies are involved in some behavioral functions.The first mushroom body structural mutants were proved to be deficient in learning and memory,thus providing some solid evidence for mushroom body functioning in these processes.Traditional morphological methods and modern molecular biology methods revealed higher functions of the mushroom bodies.Research progress in the plasticity revealed molecular mechanism of learning and memory.