Virulent bacterial infection improves aversive learning performance in Drosophila melanogaster.

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Version: Author's accepted manuscript
Serval ID
serval:BIB_E691EEA52D39
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Virulent bacterial infection improves aversive learning performance in Drosophila melanogaster.
Journal
Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
Author(s)
Babin A., Kolly S., Kawecki T.J.
ISSN
1090-2139 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
0889-1591
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2014
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
41
Pages
152-161
Language
english
Abstract
Virulent infections are expected to impair learning ability, either as a direct consequence of stressed physiological state or as an adaptive response that minimizes diversion of energy from immune defense. This prediction has been well supported for mammals and bees. Here, we report an opposite result in Drosophila melanogaster. Using an odor-mechanical shock conditioning paradigm, we found that intestinal infection with bacterial pathogens Pseudomonas entomophila or Erwinia c. carotovora improved flies' learning performance after a 1h retention interval. Infection with P. entomophila (but not E. c. carotovora) also improved learning performance after 5 min retention. No effect on learning performance was detected for intestinal infections with an avirulent GacA mutant of P. entomophila or for virulent systemic (hemocoel) infection with E. c. carotovora. Assays of unconditioned responses to odorants and shock do not support a major role for changes in general responsiveness to stimuli in explaining the changes in learning performance, although differences in their specific salience for learning cannot be excluded. Our results demonstrate that the effects of pathogens on learning performance in insects are less predictable than suggested by previous studies, and support the notion that immune stress can sometimes boost cognitive abilities.
Keywords
Infection, Intestinal pathogens, Memory, Insects, Drosophila melanogaster, Psychoneuroimmunology
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
15/09/2014 12:36
Last modification date
20/08/2019 16:09
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