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Ageing Flies
20 June 2012

Ageing Flies

Flies, like humans, can show signs of brain degeneration as they reach old age. Affected insects possess gene mutations, which lead to shaking and difficulty walking as brain function is lost. By looking for early warning signs in the brains of these insects, scientists hope to improve early detection of human neurodegenerative diseases, such as Huntington’s and Parkinson’s. However, flies’ brains are delicate, and the traditional way of imaging them – preparing thin slices of the organ to view under a microscope – is laborious and requires great precision. Scientists have found a neat way to overcome this. By simply bleaching the fly’s dark pigmentation they can take images through the intact head (shown above) to the brain underneath.

Written by Manisha Lalloo

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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