The complexities of social behavior -- early concept brain research

What goes into fruit fly courtship? It might seem like an odd question, but understanding its neural underpinnings – and studying the male-female interactions at the milliscale level -- could help us better understand the complexities of social behavior. A Princeton University team -- neuroscientist Mala Murthy and physicists William Bialek and Joshua Shaevitz -- will stimulate recordings from individual neurons as the fruit flies (Drosophila) conduct complex courtship behaviors. They will also develop mathematical models that predict the dynamics of interactive behavior. This is one of 36 NSF-funded research projects to help reveal how neurons produce thoughts and actions.