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Adrenergic signaling has important roles in synaptic plasticity and metaplasticity. However, the underlying mechanisms of these functions remain poorly understood. We investigated the role of octopamine, the invertebrate counterpart of adrenaline and noradrenaline, in synaptic and behavioral plasticity in Drosophila. We found that an increase in locomotor speed induced by food deprivation was accompanied by an activity- and octopamine-dependent extension of octopaminergic arbors and that the formation and maintenance of these arbors required electrical activity. Growth of octopaminergic arbors was controlled by a cAMP- and CREB-dependent positive-feedback mechanism that required Octβ2R octopamine autoreceptors. Notably, this autoregulation was necessary for the locomotor response. In addition, octopamine neurons regulated the expansion of excitatory glutamatergic neuromuscular arbors through Octβ2Rs on glutamatergic motor neurons. Our results provide a mechanism for global regulation of excitatory synapses, presumably to maintain synaptic and behavioral plasticity in a dynamic range.

Original publication

DOI

10.1038/nn.2716

Type

Journal article

Journal

Nat Neurosci

Publication Date

02/2011

Volume

14

Pages

190 - 199

Keywords

Animals, Animals, Genetically Modified, Cyclic AMP, Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein, Drosophila, Homeostasis, Hunger, Motor Activity, Motor Neurons, Neuronal Plasticity, Octopamine, Receptors, Biogenic Amine, Synapses, Synaptic Transmission