# Determining the function and mechanism of spontaneous network activity during synaptogenesis in the Drosophila visual system

> **NIH NIH F30** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2021 · $37,578

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The human brain forms about 100 trillion synapses during development. These synapses determine how neural
circuits process information and perform computations, and when dysregulated, likely form the basis of many
neurological and psychiatric diseases. Both autonomous genetic programs and spontaneous activity are thought
to contribute to synaptogenesis. However, the precise role of spontaneous activity and the mechanisms
underlying its generation are not well understood. Recent work has established that spontaneous activity
accompanies the development of synapses in the Drosophila visual system. The fly brain was previously thought
to develop synapses solely via preprogrammed genetic protocols, and this observation is the first evidence to
suggest that spontaneous activity may also contribute to synaptogenesis in this system. Preliminary studies have
characterized the natural history of this activity, its mechanisms of propagation, and its patterns at the level of
individual cell types. Remarkably, cells that are synaptic partners in the adult show correlated activity patterns.
These data suggest that spontaneous activity is a fundamental phenomenon of circuit assembly. The extensive
genetic toolbox and mapped connectome in the fly visual system allow for molecular and cellular dissection of
the relationship between spontaneous activity and synapse formation. The proposed research plan will use two-
photon calcium imaging and genetic advantages in Drosophila to elucidate the role of spontaneous activity in
synaptogenesis. Further studies will identify molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the generation and
propagation of spontaneous activity. These results will indicate how spontaneous activity influences synapse
formation in the developing brain and will provide important insights into the mechanisms of this activity in the
assembly of neural circuits.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10132336
- **Project number:** 5F30EY029952-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** Bryce T Bajar
- **Activity code:** F30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $37,578
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-04-01 → 2023-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10132336

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10132336, Determining the function and mechanism of spontaneous network activity during synaptogenesis in the Drosophila visual system (5F30EY029952-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10132336. Licensed CC0.

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