The Growth of Sleep Patterns Helps Long-Term Memory in Fruit Flies

Sleep rhythms begin to emerge in Drosophila larvae during the transition from second-instar (L2) to early third-instar (L3).

• Circadian control of sleep is absent in L2 larvae, similar to human infants.
• A cellular connection forms between clock neurons and arousal-promoting neurons at the L3 stage.
• Emergence of circadian sleep in L3 is associated with the ability to form long-term memory of aversive cues.
• Deep sleep, generated when sleep rhythms begin, is necessary for this long-term memory.
• The development of circadian sleep may facilitate more complex cognitive processes.

Simplified