Wings of Change: aPKC/FoxP-dependent plasticity in steering motor neurons underlies operant self-learning in .

Background: Motor learning is central to human existence, such as learning to speak or walk, sports moves, or rehabilitation after injury. Evidence suggests that all forms of motor learning share an evolutionarily conserved molecular plasticity pathway. Here, we present novel insights into the neural processes underlying operant self-learning, a form of motor learning in the fruit fly

Methods: We operantly trained wild type and transgenic fruit flies, tethered at the torque meter, in a motor learning task that required them to initiate and maintain turning maneuvers around their vertical body axis (yaw torque).