Perception and Longevity Control in Invertebrate Model Organisms-A Mini-Review of Recent Advances.

Perception alone can, in some cases, be sufficient to modulate aging and longevity. These influences on aging are perhaps mediated by changes in motivational states that regulate metabolism and physiology to impact health. Simple invertebrate models uniquely enable detailed dissection of integrative pathways linking perceptions to aging and remain the leading systems for advancing this field.

Fezf functions as a transcriptional repressor to direct layer-specific synaptic connectivity in the fly visual system.

The layered compartmentalization of synaptic connections, a common feature of nervous systems, underlies proper connectivity between neurons and enables parallel processing of neural information. However, the stepwise development of layered neuronal connections is not well understood. The medulla neuropil of the visual system, which comprises 10 discrete layers (M1 to M10), where neural computations underlying distinct visual features are processed, serves as a model system for understanding layered synaptic connectivity.