The inebri-actometer: a device for measuring the locomotor activity of Drosophila exposed to ethanol vapor

Abstract

Drosophila melanogaster can be used as a model organism for probing the genetic basis for alcohol sensitivity. In this paper, we describe a new device, the inebri-actometer, which measures the locomotor activity of up to 128 individual flies simultaneously. The device consists of 128 pairs of emitter/detector photodiodes connected in series through a computer interlink. A single fly is placed in each of the 128 chambers and humidified air or air containing variable amounts of ethanol vapor is pumped through the chambers. When a fly blocks the infrared signal transmitted by an emitter photodiode, the computer records one movement for that fly. We present preliminary results showing the effect of ethanol on the activity of wild-type Oregon R Drosophila. Five preliminary runs with 95% ethanol vapor revealed that this concentration induces an approximately 3- to 4-fold increase in locomotor activity which peaks at about 5 min after the addition of ethanol vapor. This is followed by a gradual decrease in activity leading to a nearly total cessation of movement after 30 min. Statistically significant dose-related activity increases were obtained for ethanol concentrations of 8, 19, 50, and 100% of maximum, assessed in two replications at each dose. Unlike the complete suppression of locomotion seen in the last 10 min of the session at maximum ethanol exposure, the initial stimulation effect at the 19% concentration was maintained across the 30-min session.