Abstract
Animals encounter multiple stimuli each day. Some of these stimuli are innately appetitive or aversive, while others are assigned valence based on experience. Drugs like ethanol can elicit aversion in the short term and attraction in the long term. The reward system encodes the predictive value for different stimuli, mediating anticipation for attractive or punishing stimuli and driving animal behavior to approach or avoid conditioned stimuli. The neurochemistry and neurocircuitry of the reward system is partly evolutionarily conserved. In both vertebrates and invertebrates, including Drosophila melanogaster, dopamine is at the center of a network of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators acting in concert to encode rewards. Behavioral assays in D. melanogaster have become increasingly sophisticated, allowing more direct comparison with mammalian research. Moreover, recent evidence has established the functional modularity of the reward neural circuits in Drosophila. This functional modularity resembles the organization of reward circuits in mammals. The powerful genetic and molecular tools for D. melanogaster allow characterization and manipulation at the single-cell level. These tools are being used to construct a detailed map of the neural circuits mediating specific rewarding stimuli and have allowed for the identification of multiple genes and molecular pathways that mediate the effects of reinforcing stimuli, including their rewarding effects. This report provides an overview of the research on natural and drug reward in D. melanogaster, including natural rewards such as sugar and other food nutrients, and drug rewards including ethanol, cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, and nicotine. We focused mainly on the known genetic and neural mechanisms underlying appetitive reward for sugar and reward for ethanol. We also include genes, molecular pathways, and neural circuits that have been identified using assays that test the palatability of the rewarding stimulus, the preference for the rewarding stimulus, or other effects of the stimulus that indicate how it can modify behavior. Commonalities between mechanisms of natural and drug reward are highlighted and future directions are presented, putting forward questions best suited for research using D. melanogaster as a model organism.
Introduction
Animals need to distinguish beneficial stimuli in order to survive. There is partial conservation among reward systems across species (Scaplen and Kaun, 2016). Mammalian models of reward have allowed for the dissection of the several components of reward as well as the mapping of these components for different neural circuits and neurotransmitters. Further dissection of reward circuits using large-scale genetic screens could help to elucidate the genetic and molecular mechanisms of reward. For this complementary approach, the Drosophila melanogaster model system is ideally suited and allows for targeted genetic manipulations, which are necessary to determine causality for the identified genetic factors (Venken and Bellen, 2014). Drosophila also allows for targeted genetic manipulations, which are necessary to determine causality.
Drosophila has been a primary model organism for elucidating the role of genes and identifying molecular mechanisms and neural circuits underlying biological processes (Rubin and Lewis, 2000 ; ; Venken et al., 2011). The whole genome of the fly has been sequenced and annotated. It is believed that between 65 and 75% of human disease-causing genes have a functional homolog in Drosophila (Reiter et al., 2001 ; ; Yamamoto et al., 2014). The fast life cycle, high fecundity, smaller space needed to maintain colonies, lower cost of fly husbandry, and the wide array of commercially available transgenic fruit fly strains make the fruit fly a great model organism for forward and reverse genetic screens as well as genomic approaches for identification and rapid validation of genes involved in reward. Knowledge gathered about Drosophila has been compiled in databases that specialize in different content (modENCODE, ; FlyAtlas, ; FlyBase, ; Larval Olympiad data set and FlyEM, HHMI Janelia Research Campus; Virtual Fly Brain, ; Flybrain Neuron Database, The University of Tokyo). Drosophila labs and public institutions across the world develop and maintain collections of mutants and transgenic tools that allow for probing the function of nearly every gene in the fly with exquisite spatial and temporal control, including single cell resolution and restriction of the manipulation to specific developmental stages or segments of a behavioral task ( ; ; Venken and Bellen, 2014).
The possibility of altering gene expression or controlling neuronal activity at the single-cell level makes flies an ideal model to dissect reward circuits and allows for mapping how specific genetic networks act within specific cells in a neuronal circuit. These tools have allowed for the mapping of genes and neuronal circuits that control natural and drug reward, revealing similarities in the organization of the reward system in mammals and Drosophila, including the role of DA and the general rules for reward processing ( ; Scaplen and Kaun, 2016).
Behavioral assays have been developed to study natural and drug reward in D. melanogaster (). The behavioral assays for studying reward vary between mammals and insects. Mammalian assays of natural reward regularly involve operant conditioning, such as pressing a lever, and are dependent on a specific action by the animal to obtain an US (). In contrast, the paradigms used to study insect reward involve presentation of the CS and US by the researcher, and are thus independent of the action of the animals (). The study of reward in D. melanogaster has largely focused on classical conditioning learning paradigms using either innately rewarding or punishing US paired with a CS. Learning is said to take place based on the response to the CS after training. Assays to test other aspects of the reinforcing stimuli involve voluntary consumption and two-choice preference assays. These assays provide a broad picture of reinforcing stimuli, ultimately determining whether these stimuli have reinforcing properties for short and/or long-term memories. Studies have probed multiple aspects of natural reward across developmental stages, including appetitive and aversive stimuli in larval and adult stage Drosophila ( ; ; ; ; ; Scaplen and Kaun, 2016 ; ; ).
Only recently has the study of drug reward in Drosophila used similar assays to those used to dissect natural reward (). Palatability, voluntary consumption, and conditioned odor preference behavior assays have identified genes, molecular pathways, and neural circuits underlying drug reward, and have demonstrated that certain drugs, such as ethanol, can be rewarding for flies. Much more is known about the acute effects of drugs in Drosophila. However, these acute drug assays do not focus on reward, but on the locomotor effects of the drugs. Nonetheless, some of the genes and neural circuits that have been identified with acute drug exposure match those underlying feeding (). This suggests common factors in the mechanisms underlying drug and natural reward.
Recent reviews on this topic have focused on reward processing and the similarities between the Drosophila and mammalian reward systems ( ; Scaplen and Kaun, 2016 ; ; ). Research studying reward in Drosophila larva has been reviewed by . A comprehensive review by focuses on food reward in Drosophila. Another recent review highlights the neurotransmitters and neural circuits that mediate both feeding and drug effects ().
In this review, we have compiled information about the mechanisms underlying natural and drug reward in Drosophila organizing information according to the behavior elicited by the natural or drug stimulus. We focus on appetitive behaviors that indicate that a given stimulus is palatable, preferred when given a choice, and serves a reinforcement in a learning and/or memory assay, indicating its rewarding value. These behaviors in combination provide a view of the underlying mechanisms of reward from perception to reinforcement. We limit this review to three assays for natural rewards: palatability, assessed by the proboscis extension reflex response; preference, assessed in a choice assay; and reward, assessed in a conditioned odor preference assay. The natural stimuli included in this review are sugars, proteins, fatty acids, and water. The drugs included are ethanol, cocaine, amphetamine/methamphetamine, and nicotine. Most research on drug reward has focused on ethanol, for which studies about its palatability, preference, and reward have been conducted. Ethanol and other drugs have also been examined by looking at their locomotor effects. We included these, as neural circuits and genes that mediate locomotor drug effects show partial overlap with those of natural and ethanol reward ( ; this review). The figures in this review highlight common factors and are meant to help identify gaps in knowledge.
Natural Reward
Rewarding stimuli are attractive, eliciting a subjective degree of pleasure, a hedonic value, or ‘liking’ (). In mammals, ‘liking’ is identified by studying facial expressions (Steiner et al., 2001 ; ; ). ‘Liking’ in mammals is mediated by opioid, endocannabinoid, and GABA-benzodiazepine signaling, and is localized to hedonic hot spots distributed throughout the limbic system (). Rewards also have incentive salience, evoking a strong desire or craving for the reward or ‘wanting’ in mammals this is largely mediated by the mesocorticolimbic system, with DA as the main neurotransmitter ( ; ).
‘Wanting’ in insects can be assessed by focusing on approach and consummatory responses in instrumental learning paradigms (). Natural rewards have intrinsic incentive salience and can be used as unconditioned stimuli (US). Incentive salience can also apply to Pavlovian conditioned stimuli (CS), which are learned stimuli that are originally neutral but become predictors of reward through stimulus-stimulus association ().
A different way to dissect reward is to focus on how rewarding stimuli affect the activity of the neural circuits underlying both approach and consummatory behavior, from perception to motor function. The first neural circuits to be activated by either rewarding or punishing stimuli are the sensory systems. Rewarding stimuli are salient, and hence activate the areas of the nervous system that encode attention in the brain. Learned rewards activate learning and memory circuits. Lastly, rewarding stimuli elicit behavior, which is directed by activation of motor circuits (Schultz, 2015).
Below, we present an overview of the mechanisms involved in palatability, preference and reinforcement elicited by the following natural food stimuli: sugar, protein, fatty acid, and water. We focus on sugar reward and how sweet taste versus nutritive value are encoded. We organize the information by assay, as each assay probes different aspects of the rewarding stimulus. Palatability focuses on the initial perception of the stimulus. Consumption and preference are tested using a two-choice assay to study consummatory behavior. Lastly, conditioned odor preference reflects the reinforcing properties of the stimulus.
Sugar Palatability and Preference
Palatability: Proboscis Extension Reflex
The proboscis extension reflex (PER) can be used to measure the palatability of a stimulus. Sugars are detected by gustatory receptor neurons located in the tarsae and mouthparts of Drosophila (Wang et al., 2004 ; ). PER response to sugar is partly mediated by Gr5a, a gustatory receptor expressed in specific sensory neurons (Wang et al., 2004). It has been shown that both sweet and nutritious and also sweet but non-nutritious sugars elicit PER responses in flies ( ; ). A single dopaminergic ventral unpaired medial neuron (TH-VUM), which has projections in the SOG, is sufficient to elicit a PER response to sucrose (Figure 1) (). The DA receptor 2 (Dop2R) was required for DA-induced PER (). Another neurotransmitter involved in the PER is serotonin (). Activating a subset of serotonergic neurons, R50H05, increased PER responses in sated flies, which normally would be low ().
FIGURE 1
The number of trials to the first PER response is an indication of sucrose responsiveness and has been shown to correlate with the PER habituation, which is the reduction of PER response upon repetition of the stimulus (
Voluntary Consumption and Two-Choice Preference
Flies display preference for sugars, but this preference is not solely based on taste. In a two-choice preference assay, flies first chose the sweetest sugar but after 5 min, flies started favoring the nutritious sugar (
Preference for a nutritious sugar is mediated by Dh44 neurons, which produce and release the Diuretic hormone 44 neuropeptide (the homolog of corticotropin-release hormone in mammals), which activates the Dh44 receptor R1 (
Dh44 binds to and activates two receptors in Drosophila : R1, expressed in the brain and ventral nerve chord, and R2, expressed in the gut (
The cAMP pathway has been implicated in learning, memory, and reward in Drosophila, and it was found that the cAMP pathway in neurons also mediates preference for nutritious sugars (
Figure 2 summarizes results from the studies about sugar preference above, which suggest that preference for a nutritious sugar is mediated by the cellular signaling cAMP pathway along with the insulin, Dh44 neuropeptide, and a subset of serotonergic neurons. This subset of serotonergic neurons also has a role in the PER for sugars, which are perceived by gustatory receptor neurons.
FIGURE 2

Consumption preference for nutritious sugar, protein, and ethanol in adult Drosophila. The appetitive stimulus is shown on the left side, and the behavior, as measured in specific assays, is shown on the right. The compiled genes, signaling pathways, and neural structures mediating the behavior connect the stimulus and the behavior. Consumption preference for nutritious sugar and protein was tested using a two-choice preference assay; ethanol consumption preference was identified using the CAFE/FRAPPE assay. Neuronal pathways (dark purple), cellular pathways (dark green), genes/proteins (royal blue). MNCs median neurosecretory cells.
Hence, sugars are palatable for flies and flies use different neurotransmitter systems to convey hunger signals based on nutrient levels, which are correlated to calcium oscillations. Hunger modulation results in increased PER responses and preference for a nutritious sugar. Next, we examine the evidence supporting sugars as natural rewards for fruit flies and the mechanisms of sugar as reinforcement for short and long-term memories.
Sugar Reward: Appetitive Olfactory Conditioned Memory
Sugar has been used by multiple investigators as an US in olfactory conditioned learning and memory assays. Quinn et al. (1974) pioneered reward research in D. melanogaster, developing a classical conditioning assay in which a neutral odor and an aversive stimulus are paired (Tully and Quinn, 1985). The appetitive version of this assay uses sugar as attractive stimulus, pairing it to an odor (Tempel et al., 1983). This pioneering work identified mutant flies (rutabaga and dunce) with mutations in the cAMP pathway that had sugar memory defects (Tempel et al., 1983). Later it was shown that this defect could be rescued when wild-type rutabaga was expressed specifically in mushroom body Kenyon cells (Schwaerzel et al., 2003). Early studies tested involvement of the cAMP pathway shortly after training (Schwaerzel et al., 2003). It was subsequently shown that the cAMP pathway is also needed in Drosophila mushroom body for long-term appetitive memories (
The dopa decarboxylase (Ddc) gene, whose gene product catalyzes the synthesis of DA and serotonin, was also found to mediate sugar learning (Tempel et al., 1984). Involvement of OA has also been shown, as flies with mutations in Tβh, the enzyme that converts tyramine to OA, were impaired in sugar memory performance. This phenotype was rescued by expressing wild-type Tβh in mutant flies (Schwaerzel et al., 2003).
Some sugars are perceived as sweet and some are not; some sugars can be metabolized and some cannot (
Octopamine and Dopamine Mediate Short-Term Memories With Sweet Sugars as Reinforcement
Next, studies identified the neurotransmitter systems that convey sweetness versus those that convey nutritional information. OA signaling is needed for flies to form short-term appetitive memories with sweet taste as reinforcement (
Octopamine also mediates olfactory memories via activation of the octopaminergic receptor, Octβ2R expressed in MB-MP1 dopaminergic neurons, which are part of the dopaminergic PPL1 cluster and innervate the mushroom body heel (γ1, α/β peduncle) (
The Drosophila DA 1-like receptor 1 (DopR1) expressed in mushroom body intrinsic neurons (Kenyon cells) is required for OA-mediated appetitive short-term memory (
Dopamine Mediates Long-Term Memories With Nutritional Sugars as Reinforcements
Octopamine signaling and PAM dopaminergic neurons expressing the OAMB receptor are not required for nutritional value reinforced memories (
In addition to their role in short-term memory formation, PPL1 MB-MP1 dopaminergic neurons are also necessary and sufficient to convey the nutritional value to the mushroom body (
The Drosophila DA 1-like receptor 2 (DopR2) expressed in mushroom body neurons mediates appetitive long-term memories; this receptor seems to be activated by PPL1 MB-MP1 dopaminergic neurons signaling (
Hunger Modulation of Sugar Memories
Dopaminergic PPL1 MB-MP1 neurons express the NPF receptor 1 (NPFR1); NPF is the Drosophila homolog of mammalian NPY. Dopaminergic PPL1 MB-MP1 neurons are inhibited by NPF in hungry flies, allowing for the retrieval of appetitive memories (
PPL1 MB-MP1 neurons have spontaneous calcium oscillations that change according to hunger state (Plaçais et al., 2012 ; Plaçais and Preat, 2013). These oscillations increase in frequency and quality factor 30 min after training with a nutritious sugar compared to training with a non-nutritious sugar (
Figure 3 summarizes the findings showcased above, which demonstrate that sugars are natural rewards with the ability to serve as reinforcements for both short and long-term memories in D. melanogaster. The mechanisms underlying sugar reward show that parallel pathways for short versus long-term memory exist in the fly brain and each pathway involves different sets of neurotransmitters systems: OA and DA for sweet taste short-term memories, and DA for nutritious value long-term memories. These parallel circuits and the role of DA as a central neurotransmitter in reward memory formation reveals that Drosophila reward circuits are surprisingly more similar to mammals than previously thought. This further validates fruit flies as a valuable model organism to help elucidate the organizing principles of the reward circuits to complement research in mammalian systems.
FIGURE 3

Sugar and water memory follow parallel pathways in Drosophila. (A) Sweetness and nutritional value reinforce short- and long-term memory formation, respectively, through dopaminergic-mushroom body circuitry with hunger modulating both short- and long-term memory. (B) Water memory is mediated by dopaminergic PAM clusters through the mushroom body and is modulated by thirst. In some cases, mushroom body compartments were identified independently from the dopaminergic receptor function. In the figure, question marks next to dopaminergic receptors indicate when their function has been localized to the mushroom body but has not been narrowed down to a specific compartment. MB mushroom body (α/β, α′/β′, and γ lobes) (blue), MBON mushroom body output neurons (blue), OA octopaminergic (red), gustatory neurons (teal), PAM protocerebral anterior medial (pink), PPL1 protocerebral posterior lateral 1 (brown), neuronal pathways (dark purple), cellular pathways (dark green), genes/proteins (royal blue). NPF neuropeptide F; ped (α/β): peduncle of α/β.
Sugar reward in fruit flies has been studied the most. However, research to determine palatability and preference of other natural food stimuli in the context of reward has begun to reveal interesting similarities and differences to sugar reward mechanisms.
Protein and Fatty Acid Palatability and Preference
Medium-chain fatty acids elicit PER responses at a significantly higher rate than water (
In addition to eliciting PER, flies also prefer medium-chain fatty acids over water or low concentrations of sucrose (<1 mM) in the two-choice CAFE assay (
A summary of the results from the studies above is found in Figure 2. Flies find fatty acids palatable, based on their ability to elicit PER responses, and there seems to be some overlap with sugar palatability. It would be interesting to determine whether proteins also elicit PER responses. Flies show preference for both fatty acids and protein. Protein preference is mediated by JhI-21 and serotonergic signaling. The mechanism mediating fatty acid preference is not currently know. It would be interesting to determine whether fatty acids or proteins can act as reinforcements in either short or long-term memory and whether these memories are encoded by additional, not yet identified parallel pathways to those of sugar memories. The study of another natural stimulus, water, suggests there are indeed additional parallel pathways for conveying different natural stimuli.
Water Reward
Water is rewarding for thirsty flies, as tested in a 3-min water-mediated learning assay or a 30-min water short-term memory assay (
Another study distinguished short- versus long-term water memories, and identified additional dopaminergic clusters that mediate these memories (Shyu et al., 2017). PAM-γ4 neurons mediate short-term water memory in thirsty flies (
Figure 3 summarizes the findings about water reward and highlights the similarities and differences in the pathways that mediate sugar memories versus those that mediate water memories. Next, we switch focus to what is currently known about drug reward in D. melanogaster. Ethanol has been studied the most and has been shown to be rewarding for fruit flies. Comparison of genes, neurotransmitters and neural circuits that are involved in locomotor effects of ethanol against those for ethanol reward reveal overlap, suggesting shared mechanisms. With this insight, we include data from locomotor assays for additional drugs of interest. Genes, molecular pathways, and neural circuits underlying locomotor drug effects may provide hints for additional mechanisms for drug reward to be investigated in the future.
Drug Reward
Reward systems require the integration of sensory information and the formation of memory to assign beneficial or harmful associations to the stimuli and result in motivated behavior. There are three main theories of addiction. The incentive sensitization theory of addiction postulates that repetitive exposure to drugs of abuse persistently modifies the neurons and neural circuits that mediate incentive salience attributed to the drug stimulus and also drug-associated cues to the point of reaching a pathological level of ‘wanting’ for the drug (Robinson and Berridge, 2008). This theory of addiction focuses heavily on ‘wanting’ and its neural correlate of mesolimbic DA sensitization, which is most common after repeated, spaced apart, high dose exposure to drugs (
Drug reward research in D. melanogaster has focused on identifying genes and neural circuits underlying the reinforcing properties of drugs. In the next section of this review, we discuss palatability, preference, and rewarding properties of ethanol. We delve into the genetic and neural mechanisms of ethanol’s locomotor effects, which include changes in neurotransmitter systems and neural circuits. Lastly, we compiled data on mechanisms mediating the locomotor effects of cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine and nicotine.
Ethanol: Palatability and Preference
Palatability: Proboscis Extension Reflex
Studies have shown that ethanol is not an appetitive tastant for flies upon initial exposure. In one study, ethanol concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 40% failed to elicit PER responses (
However,
Voluntary Consumption and Two-Choice Preference
Ethanol preference in the CAFE assay was not based on nutritional value, as flies are not able to efficiently utilize ethanol calories for survival (Xu et al., 2012). The FRAPPE, a novel high-throughput ethanol consumption preference assay that measures the consumption of individual flies, further showed that ethanol preference in Drosophila is not driven by calories (Peru y Colón de Portugal et al., 2014). This study demonstrated that ethanol preference in fruit flies is an experience-dependent process in which ethanol is mildly aversive to naï ve flies. However, flies develop long-lasting preference for ethanol food after 20 min of ethanol vapor pre-exposure (Peru y Colón de Portugal et al., 2014). Flies also developed ethanol preference when the pre-exposure was achieved by pre-feeding flies with ethanol-laced food both in a no-choice and in a two-choice configuration in the CAFE. This result shows that different routes of ethanol pre-exposure all lead to ethanol preference (Peru y Colón de Portugal et al., 2014).
A follow up study by
Ethanol preference can be modified by social experience, specifically sexual experience (Shohat-Ophir et al., 2012). Sexually rejected males have higher ethanol consumption and ethanol preference than mated males (Shohat-Ophir et al., 2012). Mating status was correlated with levels of NPF (Shohat-Ophir et al., 2012). NPF transcript and protein levels were higher in mated males compared to rejected males (Shohat-Ophir et al., 2012). NPF pathway activity mediated ethanol preference, increasing ethanol preference when it was downregulated and decreasing ethanol preference when it was artificially activated (Shohat-Ophir et al., 2012). Notably, activation of the NPF pathway was found to be rewarding for flies in a conditioned odor preference assay (Shohat-Ophir et al., 2012). In addition, artificial activation of the NPF pathway abolished the preference for ethanol (Shohat-Ophir et al., 2012). It was also shown that the ethanol exposure regime that was rewarding for flies increased NPF levels (Shohat-Ophir et al., 2012). This study suggests a homeostatic model of reward in which the NPF pathway signals reward level status in Drosophila. This means that experiences that lower NPF signaling promote reward-seeking behaviors, while experiences that increase NPF signaling decrease reward-seeking behaviors (Shohat-Ophir et al., 2012 ;
Figure 2 summarizes the studies on palatability and preference for ethanol. The experience-dependent and delayed preference for ethanol described above is reminiscent of how preference for a nutritious sugar develops. One similarity is the role of the cAMP pathway as a mediator of both sugar and ethanol preference. It would be interesting to test if ethanol elicits calcium oscillations, as sugar does. There are also differences, for example the involvement of RhoGAP18 and the NAD-dependent histone deacetylase sirtuin-2 in ethanol preference.
Neuropeptide F is also a common factor between sugar and ethanol. NPF has been shown to be involved in hunger modulation of sugar memories by inhibiting specific dopaminergic neurons and allowing retrieval of sugar memories in hungry flies (Figure 3). Research on the role of NPF in ethanol preference has shown a negative correlation between levels of this neuropeptide and ethanol preference, either promoting ethanol consumption when NPF levels are low or decreasing ethanol consumption when NPF levels are high. A similar scenario for sugar would be that high levels of NPF correlate with hunger, which increases appetitive olfactory memory performance, a measure of increased sugar reward; low levels of NPF correlate with the sated state, which decreases appetitive memory performance and sugar reward. More is known about how NPF levels are modulated by hunger. It will be interesting to determine if similar mechanisms affect either sweet or nutritious sugar preference.
Oviposition Preference for an Ethanol Substrate
Flies also display preference for ethanol as a substrate for oviposition. It has been shown that flies prefer a substrate with 5% ethanol on a two-choice oviposition preference assay (
Figure 4 summarizes the findings described above. Even though oviposition preference for ethanol at first glance may seem a very different assay to sugar preference or sugar reward, the apparent similarities in the neural circuits warrant further consideration about what this assay may be able to tell us about reward. Indeed, there are also similarities in the mechanisms underlying oviposition preference for ethanol and conditioned odor preference for ethanol, as shown in the next section.
FIGURE 4

Adult Drosophila choose an ethanol-associated stimulus in oviposition and conditioned odor preference assays. MB mushroom body (α/β, α′/β′, and γ lobes; blue), MBON mushroom body output neurons (blue), CC central complex (light green), PAM protocerebral anterior medial neurons (pink), PPL1 protocerebral posterior lateral 1 neurons (brown), neuronal pathways (dark purple), cellular pathways (dark green), genes/proteins (royal blue).
Ethanol Reward: Conditioned Odor Preference
The conditioned odor preference assay for ethanol reward developed by
Dopamine was shown to be required for conditioned odor preference memory expression during preference testing but not during training or memory consolidation (
A summary of the results from the studies above can be found in Figure 4. It is still unknown which dopaminergic clusters convey ethanol memories. However, the similarity between the neurons and neurotransmitter systems involved in oviposition preference for ethanol and conditioned odor preference for ethanol suggests that both are mediated through the same neural circuits (
The experiments described above show that ethanol is rewarding to flies and also display preference for ethanol. Studies of ethanol preference demonstrated that this preference can be modulated, identifying NPF as a key modulator. NPF is also a modulator in sugar reward. Future research could determine whether NPF plays a role in modulation of ethanol reward.
In the next section, we move from the traditional assays used to study drug reward to measuring acute drug effects. These assays have identified additional mechanisms of drug action. Some of these mechanisms may provide new insights into genes and molecules that have not yet been implicated in ethanol and natural reward.
Ethanol Locomotor Effects
Ethanol exposure elicits different locomotor effects, including hyperactivity and loss of postural control. However, flies develop tolerance to these effects when re-exposed to ethanol (
Ethanol Hyperactivity
Ethanol exposure can increase locomotion in fruit flies (Wolf et al., 2002). Ethanol hyperactivity is modulated by hunger, with starvation increasing ethanol hyperactivity (
The dopaminergic pathway, specifically, a subset of dopaminergic neurons in the PPM3 cluster, mediates ethanol-induced hyperactivity (
The tao gene, which encodes a serine-threonine kinase in the Mst/Ste20 family, has a role in adult nervous system development including mushroom body development (
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) pathways have also been shown to modulate ethanol hyperactivity in opposing ways, suppressing and promoting ethanol hyperactivity, respectively (
Figure 5 summarizes the findings described above. Similarities between the ethanol hyperactivity and natural reward include the modulation by hunger, the involvement of the dopaminergic and the cAMP pathways.
FIGURE 5

Mediators of ethanol, chronic nicotine, acute amphetamine, and methamphetamine-induced hyperactivity in Drosophila. MB mushroom body (α/β, α′/β′, and γ lobes; blue), central complex (light green), PPM3 protocerebral posterior medial 3 neurons (orange), neuronal pathways (dark purple), cellular pathways (dark green), genes/proteins (royal blue). DA, dopaminergic.
Ethanol Sedation
If flies are exposed to ethanol continuously, the hyperactivity phase is followed by a loss of postural control, and the flies will eventually become sedated. Early work implicated the cAMP pathway in ethanol sensitivity (
The insulin pathway has been previously implicated in ethanol sedation and in mediating the effects of developmental ethanol exposure (
Ethanol sensitivity is also regulated by dLmo genes, which are members of the LIM-homodomain transcription factor family that functions in fly circadian pacemaker neurons that express the pigment dispersing factor neuropeptide (Tsai et al., 2004 ;
Examination of gene expression on a microarray after 30 min of 60% ethanol vapor compared to flies exposed to water vapor identified several genes with altered expression in ethanol-exposed flies (
The results described above are summarized in Figure 6. Common factors in the mechanisms for ethanol hyperactivity and ethanol sedation include roles for RhoGAP18B, the EGFR pathway, and the gene tao. Common factors between ethanol sedation mechanisms and those of natural reward include roles for the cAMP and insulin pathways and the Sir2 and Syn genes.
FIGURE 6

Mediators of ethanol, acute nicotine, and cocaine-induced impaired activity in Drosophila. Neuronal pathways (dark purple), cellular pathways (dark green), genes/proteins (royal blue). nAChR, nicotinic Acetylcholine receptor.
Ethanol Tolerance
Ethanol tolerance is the sedation response after a second ethanol exposure. The ethanol tolerance assay has identified several genes and molecular pathways in Drosophila that mediate this effect. The OA pathway was found to mediate ethanol tolerance (Scholz et al., 2000 ;
A different approach taken to identify genes that regulate ethanol sensitivity and tolerance is to determine global changes in gene expression after ethanol exposure. In one study, transcript expression level was analyzed in flies exposed to ethanol during a postural control assay and again 2 h later (
Figure 6 summarizes the results of the studies above. Common genes that mediate ethanol tolerance and ethanol sedation include the GABA-B receptor, homer, synapsin, and Sir2. Whole genome analysis of gene expression after ethanol exposure identified metabolism genes among the genes regulated by ethanol exposure. It would be interesting to try a similar approach to identify gene expression changes after exposure to natural rewards. Future research could also examine whether some of the pathways involved in ethanol’s effects like Corazonin, EGFR/PI3K, or RhoGAP18 and cytoskeleton regulation also have roles in natural reward.
Ethanol has been studied more than other drugs but the current data shows similarities in the genes and pathways mediating the effects of ethanol and the drugs discussed below.
Other Drugs
Cocaine
There are parallels between the results from these studies with research in mammals that suggest Drosophila is a viable model to study cocaine reward. Flies exhibit specific locomotor effects when exposed to cocaine and develop sensitization after repeated exposure (
Amphetamines and Methamphetamine
There have not been any studies to determine whether amphetamines are rewarding in fruit flies. However, the acute locomotor effects of amphetamine have allowed for the identification of the conserved effects of amphetamines in flies. Amphetamine increases locomotion in Drosophila larvae (Pizzo et al., 2013). The effects of amphetamine are mediated by DA, DA transporter phosphorylation, and membrane raft protein Flotillin 1 (Pizzo et al., 2013). Another study found a contribution of PIP2 in mediating the locomotor effects of amphetamine in Drosophila (
Methamphetamine has also been shown to increase locomotion in adult flies through Rab10, a GTP-binding protein present in membrane rafts that regulates intracellular membrane trafficking (Vanderwerf et al., 2015). Rab10’s abundance within rafts is decreased after methamphetamine exposure (Vanderwerf et al., 2015). Flies with a mutant form of Rab10 had decreased sensitivity to methamphetamine-induced increased locomotion and needed a larger methamphetamine dose to display significantly increased locomotion compared to the controls (Vanderwerf et al., 2015). Other proteins whose abundance was affected by methamphetamine exposure included the microtubule-associated protein 1A, the NAD-dependent histone deacetylase Sirtuin-2, and the Rho-related GTP-binding protein Rho G (Vanderwerf et al., 2015).
Nicotine
Nicotine reward has not been established in flies. However, probing the acute effects of nicotine has revealed molecular mechanisms similar to cocaine (
The cAMP pathway mediates the effect of nicotine on negative geotaxis (
Additional genetic mechanisms mediating nicotine’s effects in the climbing assay have been uncovered. Flies with mutations in the whiterabbit or in tao have decreased sensitivity to nicotine in a negative geotaxis climbing assay (Rothenfluh et al., 2006 ;
A different study characterized the effects of chronic nicotine exposure in adult flies and found that flies became hyperactive (Ren et al., 2012). This study identified Dcp2, the gene encoding the decapping protein 2, as a mediator of this chronic nicotine-induced locomotor hyperactivity (Ren et al., 2012). This study also identified the gfa gene, which encodes for the Dα7 nAChR subunit, as a mediator of chronic nicotine-induced locomotor hyperactivity, as flies with downregulated Dα7 did not develop hyperactivity (Ren et al., 2012).
The studies described above focus on the effects of nicotine exposure in adult flies. Developmental nicotine exposure in Drosophila also affects how exposed flies respond to nicotine when they are adults (Velazquez-Ulloa, 2017). After developmental nicotine exposure, flies display decreased sensitivity to acute nicotine exposure in the climbing assay. They also display decreased sensitivity to ethanol as adults in an ethanol sedation assay (Velazquez-Ulloa, 2017). In addition, developmental nicotine exposure resulted in decreased survival, increased developmental time and decreased weight (Velazquez-Ulloa, 2017). The nAChR subunit Dα7 mediated the effects of developmental nicotine on survival and developmental time, and may also mediate the effects on nicotine sensitivity (Velazquez-Ulloa, 2017). Different studies examining genetic variation associated with larval resistance to nicotine on a survival assay using the Drosophila Synthetic Population Resource identified Ugt86Dd as a locus that confers differential sensitivity to nicotine (
These studies identify DA as a common mediator of drug effects. Other neurotransmitters have been shown to play a role in the effects of specific drugs. More testing is needed to determine if these neurotransmitters mediate responses to most drugs. RhoGAP18B along with proteins both upstream and downstream, mediate effects of ethanol. These pathways regulate cytoskeleton dynamics. It will be interesting to determine the involvement of these pathways in mediating the effects of other drugs. Circadian genes and genes that encode proteins that modify histones are also common factor mediators of drug effects that warrant additional investigation (Figures 5, 6).
Perspective on the Common Mechanisms of Natural and Drug Reward
Analysis of the scientific literature included here suggests that there are parallel circuits mediating perception and reward for each appetitive natural stimulus. Sensory receptors in the periphery are activated by different taste modalities. This sensory information is conveyed to different neuronal circuits in the Drosophila central brain, including the activation of specific subsets of dopaminergic neurons that connect to distinct mushroom body compartments that encode either short or long-term memories. Memory formation requires the cAMP pathway in mushroom body neurons to mediate the synaptic plasticity for encoding memories. These natural reward memories are homeostatically modulated by hunger and thirst. Serotonin and NPF convey nutrient signals via activation of PPL1 MB-MP1 neurons, which have calcium oscillations that are modulated by hunger state and represented by sugar levels in the hemolymph. The receptors, dopaminergic neurons, and mushroom body compartments have been determined for sugar and water reward, but have not yet been identified for protein or fatty acid reward. The neural circuits that mediate conditioned odor preference and oviposition preference for ethanol are remarkably similar to those for sugar and water reward, but seem to be a parallel circuit. More detailed mapping of ethanol reward circuits will determine if there is overlap between ethanol, sugar and other rewards.
Palatability and preference for different nutrients and ethanol also have common factors. Serotonin plays a role in both sugar and protein preference, while the cAMP pathway plays a role in sugar and ethanol consumption preference. Several neuropeptides mediate nutrient preference including insulin, juvenile hormone inducible 21, and Dh44. Dh44-expressing neurons mediate preference for a nutritious sugar, and similar to PPL1 MB-MP1 neurons, exhibit calcium oscillations that are modulated by glucose levels in the hemolymph. Hence, calcium oscillation modulation by nutrient levels in the hemolymph seems to be a common mechanism for encoding hunger.
The study of natural reward in Drosophila has developed around testing the reinforcing properties of stimuli that lead to either appetitive or aversive memories and mapping the neural circuits underlying these memories with continuously improving resolution. The study of drug reward began by focusing on acute effects of drugs and then identifying the genes that mediated the acute effects. More work needs to be done to map where the genes, proteins and signaling cascades function in the neural circuits that mediate drug reward. In addition, it would be interesting to test whether genes and signaling pathways that mediate drug effects also have roles on natural reward. Of particular interest are the signaling cascades with RhoGAP18B at the center that involve cytoskeleton dynamics, genes involved in development of reward brain centers such as tao, circadian genes, and histone modification genes such as Sir2 and nejire.
A model is emerging for parallel circuits for reward from sensory perception to behavior segregated by the type of stimulus. The reward system is centered around dopaminergic neurons as carriers of the reinforcement signal with the mushroom body as coincidence detector center, where integration of information occurs at specific compartments of the mushroom body, which in turn recruit different sets of mushroom body output neurons (
Future studies of drug reward with assays that focus on the reinforcing properties of the drugs instead of just the acute effects will make it possible to determine the similarities and differences in the encoding of natural and drug reward in D. melanogaster. The unparalleled genetic and molecular tools available for Drosophila research will continue to allow for the mapping of neuronal circuits at single-cell resolution. Combining this approach with the ability to manipulate genes in individual cells makes Drosophila an ideal model organism to dissect the mechanisms of both natural and drug reward.
Statements
Author contributions
NV-U wrote the manuscript draft and provided the feedback on the figures. EL wrote the sections of the manuscript, edited the full draft, and prepared the figures and all other sections of the paper.
Funding
NV-U was supported by grant 2014267:MNL:2/26/2015 from the M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust. EL was supported by start-up funds to NV-U from Lewis & Clark College.
Acknowledgments
We want to acknowledge support from Lewis & Clark College colleagues and edits to the manuscript by Jessica Rickert.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Abbreviations
- AC
adelylyl cyclase
- CS
conditioned stimulus
- DA
dopamine
- MB
mushroom bodies
- MNC
median neurosecretory cells
- nAChR
nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
- NPF
neuropeptide F
- OA
octopamine
- PAM
protocerebral anterior medial
- PI
pars intercerebralis
- PPL1
protocerebral posterior lateral
- PPM3
protocerebral posterior medial
- SOG
subesophageal ganglion
- TβH
tyramine beta hydroxylase
- US
unconditioned stimulus
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Summary
Keywords
Drosophila, natural reward, drug reward, ethanol, nicotine, cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine
Citation
Lowenstein EG and Velazquez-Ulloa NA (2018) A Fly’s Eye View of Natural and Drug Reward. Front. Physiol. 9:407. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00407
Received
22 January 2018
Accepted
04 April 2018
Published
18 April 2018
Volume
9 - 2018
Edited by
Robert Huber, Bowling Green State University, United States
Reviewed by
Galit Shohat-Ophir, Bar-Ilan University, Israel; Keith Murphy, The Scripps Research Institute, United States
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© 2018 Lowenstein and Velazquez-Ulloa.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Norma A. Velazquez-Ulloa, nvelazquezulloa@lclark.edu
This article was submitted to Invertebrate Physiology, a section of the journal Frontiers in Physiology
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