2024-09-08 04:30:00
People often say “love is blind” Showing that when someone falls in love, they are unable to recognize the other person’s flaws and may even make harmful decisions that are not beneficial to themselves. A scientist born in Roca, Rio Negro state, has contributed new knowledge about what happens when animals decide their priorities.
this is doctor Carolina RezabalProfessor and laboratory director at the University of Birmingham, UK. The researcher and her collaborators used research on fruit flies fruit fly Uncovering hidden mechanisms in behavior-related choices.
In conversation Diary of Rio NegroRezaval said: “Our work was published in the magazine naturefocuses on understanding how animals prioritize in conflict situations. For example, sometimes they have to decide between mating or running away from predators. “As courtship progresses to finding a mate, it also faces dangers such as potential predators. “We want to know how the brain evaluates choices and opportunities and prioritizes one behavior over another,” he said.
The goal of the research is to better understand how the brain evaluates risk and opportunity at any time to make decisions.
So “an experiment was designed on fruit flies, which can learn, sleep, have very complex courtship behavior and memory. But their brains are much simpler than human brains. This makes flies a model for manipulation and research,” he said. ” he said.
Rio Negro scientist Carolina Rezabal studies underlying mechanisms of fruit fly behaviorUsing different tools from neuroscience, genetics, and molecular biology, you can learn general principles that may exist in other organisms, such as humans.
In the trial, “we had male fruit flies start courting females,” he said. The researchers then added a stimulus to scare the animals. The male decides to abandon courtship and prioritize survival over reproduction.
On the other hand, “when the courtship is more advanced and closer to mating, the male will follow the female closely, no longer aware of the danger from predators. “It’s like I’m blind to love,” he said.
What results did they achieve?
By studying it using different tools, “we discovered the neural mechanisms behind this process,” he said. They have demonstrated for the first time the existence of neural networks in the brains of fruit flies that guide the decision-making process. A neurotransmitter called dopamine plays a leading role.
“When a male approaches mating, he stops seeing danger and focuses his attention on the female. This mechanism is mediated by dopamine. As the male’s courtship progresses, dopamine increases. The increase in dopamine begins It acts as a filter, causing neurons that respond to threats to be inhibited,” he said. That is, these neurons are inhibited and the animal can no longer see the predator.
They find the neurotransmitter dopamine plays a role in decision-making“We think that dopamine-mediated mechanisms prevent animals from being distracted and focusing on courtship and mating. It made me change my priorities,” Rezaval explains. These results suggest that this mechanism may exist in other organisms. “We hope to continue studying other species, including humans,” he commented.
“We make decisions every day that force us to weigh opportunities and risks,” he said, “but we know very little about what’s going on in the brain at that time.”
This work was carried out in collaboration with colleagues in Germany and the UK. The research was supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Leverhulme Trust, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, the German Research Foundation (DFG), the European Research Council and the Wellcome Trust.
Who is Carolina Rezabal?
When he was 7 years old, Rezaval wanted to become a marine biologist and wrote this dream down in a notebook that still resides at General Rocca’s parents’ home. He received his PhD in Biology from the University of Buenos Aires. He then went to the University of Oxford in England for postdoctoral research. There he studied the genetic and neuronal basis of behavior using Drosophila as a model.
April 2018, Carolina won a scholarship to establish her own research group at the University of Birmingham in England. In 2021, she was appointed a FENS-Kavli 2021 Fellow, an honor that enables her to join a prestigious network of neuroscientists working to improve neuroscience in Europe.
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Table of Contents
The Science of Animal Behavior: Understanding Priority Decisions
The phrase ”love is blind” often rings true, as people tend to overlook their partner’s flaws and make decisions that may not be in their best interest. However, have you ever wondered what happens when animals make similar decisions? A scientist from Roca, Rio Negro state, has contributed significantly to our understanding of how animals prioritize their choices.
Dr. Carolina Rezabal, a professor and laboratory director at the University of Birmingham, UK, has conducted groundbreaking research on fruit flies to uncover the hidden mechanisms behind behavior-related choices. Her work, published in the prestigious journal Nature, focuses on understanding how animals prioritize in conflict situations, such as deciding between mating or running away from predators.
The Goal: Understanding Brain Decision-Making
The primary objective of Dr. Rezabal’s research is to better understand how the brain evaluates risk and opportunity to make decisions. By studying fruit flies, which have simpler brains than humans but are capable of learning, sleeping, and exhibiting complex courtship behavior and memory, the researchers aimed to uncover general principles that may apply to other organisms, including humans.
The Experiment: Uncovering Priority Decisions
To achieve their goal, the researchers designed an experiment where male fruit flies were encouraged to court females. They then introduced a stimulus to scare the animals, causing the males to decide between prioritizing survival over reproduction. By analyzing the fruit flies’ behavior, the researchers gained valuable insights into how the brain evaluates choices and opportunities, leading to a better understanding of how animals prioritize in conflict situations.
The Significance of Ethology
Ethology, the study of animal behavior, has been a vital field of research for decades. In 1973, the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine was awarded to three pioneer practitioners of ethology, recognizing the importance of this field in understanding animal behavior [1]. Since then, numerous studies have been conducted to explore the intricacies of animal behavior, including modern ethology, which has been extensively documented in publications such as “Modern Ethology: The Science of Animal Behavior” [2].
Current Research in Animal Behavior
Current research in animal behavior continues to uncover the complexities of animal decision-making processes. For instance, a recent study published in The Scientist explores the neural changes that underlie sustained mental states, such as aggression [3].
Dr. Rezabal’s research has significantly contributed to our understanding of how animals prioritize in conflict situations, shedding light on the intricate mechanisms behind brain decision-making. As we continue to explore the fascinating world of animal behavior, we may uncover valuable insights that can be applied to various fields, including neuroscience, psychology, and conservation biology.
References:
[1] Britannica, “Three Pioneer Observers of Animal Behaviour”
[2] Amazon, “Modern Ethology: The Science of Animal Behavior”
[3] The Scientist, “Animal Behavior News, Articles”
The Neurobiology of Love: Understanding the Science Behind “Love is Blind”
The phrase “love is blind” is a common expression that suggests that when someone falls in love, they become oblivious to the flaws and imperfections of their partner. However, have you ever wondered what happens in the brain when we fall in love? Recent studies have shed light on the neural mechanisms behind love, and the results are fascinating.
The Research
Dr. Carolina Rezabal, a scientist from Rio Negro, Argentina, has contributed significantly to our understanding of the neurobiology of love. Her research, published
