How exposure to dead peers may accelerate aging in fruit flies

A 2019 study by Tuhin S. Chakraborty, Christi M. Gendron and colleagues found that fruit flies exposed to dead peers stored less body fat, became more sensitive to starvation and had shorter lifespans.

In a later study published in PLOS Biology, the researchers examined what happens in the flies' brains during this process.

Using fluorescent markers, they identified nerve cells that became active when living flies were exposed to dead flies. The team then stimulated selected neurons to see whether this could reproduce some of the same biological effects.

The experiments identified two groups of nerve cells that appear to play an important role in the response. Earlier research had also suggested that serotonin signaling, particularly receptors known as 5-HT2A, was involved, according to PETBOOK.

The findings indicate that sensory cues from dead members of the same species can activate neural pathways linked to changes in aging and metabolism.

A close-up of a fruit fly. Photo from Pexels

What the findings could mean

The results should not be directly applied to humans, whose nervous systems are far more complex.

However, the research may help scientists better understand how stressful environmental cues can affect the brain and body. It could also contribute to future studies of people who are repeatedly exposed to death or trauma, such as soldiers and emergency responders, according to Discover Magazine.

For now, the study offers an unusual example of how an animal's perception of its surroundings can influence its biology and lifespan.