A groundbreaking study from John C. Tuthill’s lab, published in Nature, has revealed a fascinating neural mechanism in fruit flies that could transform our understanding of how the brain processes body movement and position.

The Synopsis

All animals possess a sense of the body’s position and movement, known as proprioception, which is used to stabilize posture and guide movement. Using the fruit fly, Drosophila, this study shows that the proprioceptive neurons that detect body movement are switched off during active body movements, while the proprioceptors that encode position operate continuously. The study also discovers the neural circuit that gives rise to this state-dependent switch.

Why This Matters

Understanding how proprioception is used to control the body has significant implications for developing treatments for sensorimotor disorders, supporting rehabilitation after injury, and advancing our knowledge of how the nervous system processes sensory information.

Read more about this paper on the UW Medicine Newsroom site.