A systematic review and meta-analysis of Drosophila short-term-memory genetics: robust reproducibility, but little independent replication

摘要: Geneticists have long used olfactory conditioning techniques in Drosophila to identify the neurons and genes that mediate learning. While this method has characterized an abundance of memory-related genes, little is known about how these induce short-term memory (STM) via signaling pathways; characterizing networks will be essential developing mechanistic models formation. Here, we investigated why elucidating STM pathways been relatively slow. One possibility evidence base weak due publication poorly reproducible results, as observed other fields. We examined hypothesis by performing a systematic review subsequent meta-analysis genetics field. Using several metrics quantify variation between discovery articles follow-up studies, found seven were highly replicated, showed no bias, had generally high reproducibility. However, remaining ~80% not replicated since their initial discovery. Although only few studies gene interactions, reviewed could together account for >1000% memory. This large summed effect size indicates either some findings are reproducible, many participate shared pathways, or current protocols lack specificity needed core plasticity genes. Mechanistic theories cognition require convergence from system, circuit, cellular, molecular, genetic experiments. As study demonstrates, data synthesis tool integrated brain science.