Gain Control of Peripheral Input by Core Brain Thermosensors Drives Drosophila Thermoregulation

LPBT core brain thermosensors in Drosophila melanogaster establish a preferred body-temperature setpoint by mediating warming-evoked turning above it, not by simple cell-autonomous sensing.

• Why it matters: Peripheral larval thermosensors can drive thermotaxis across an innocuous range, but how they are combined to select a specific preferred body temperature was unclear.
• What they did: The study tested whether LPBT neurons expressing the warmth-activated thermosensor TrpA1(A) require peripheral input and TRPA1-dependent thermosensing within LPBTs to sustain responses above setpoint.
• The result: TRPA1-dependent core thermosensing provides gain control that tunes the behavioral weights of peripheral inputs, enabling setpoint-defined thermoregulation and suggesting parallels with mammalian mechanisms.

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