Unveiling the Surprising Similarities in Decision-Making Between Insects and Mammals

Insects, contrary to previous beliefs, can make complex decisions based on experiences rather than just reacting to stimuli. The mushroom body in arthropod brains, responsible for memory formation and decision-making, encodes behavioral decisions during sensory-motor transformation. The study, conducted on American cockroaches, showed that the output neurons of the mushroom body take into account the animal's current state, such as hunger, enabling precise prediction of behavior. This research has implications for understanding not only insect behavior but also basic neurobiological principles that are similar in humans.