Mechanisms underlying homeostatic plasticity in the Drosophila mushroom body in vivo

Neural network function requires an appropriate balance of excitation and inhibition to be maintained by homeostatic plasticity.

However, little is known about homeostatic mechanisms in the intact central brain in vivo. Here, we study homeostatic plasticity in the Drosophila mushroom body, where Kenyon cells receive feedforward excitation from olfactory projection neurons and feedback inhibition from the anterior paired lateral neuron (APL).

We show that prolonged (4 d) artificial activation of the inhibitory APL causes increased Kenyon cell odor responses after the artificial inhibition is removed, suggesting that the mushroom body compensates for excess inhibition.

In contrast, there is little compensation for lack of inhibition (blockade of APL). The compensation occurs through a combination of increased excitation of Kenyon cells and decreased activation of APL, with differing relative contributions for different Kenyon cell subtypes.

Our findings establish the fly mushroom body as a model for homeostatic plasticity in vivo.