EVANSTON, ILLINOIS — Research done on fruit flies shows that a special batch of neurons sensitive to outer temperatures "suppresses" other neurons in charge of morning "activeness."<br /><br />A new study published in the journal Current Biology shows scientists have identified a thermometer-like circuit of neurons that inhibits neurons in a fly's brain that activate alertness, particularly in the mornings.<br /><br />Neurobiologists from Northwestern University found receptors in the fly's antennas that respond to temperatures below around 25 degrees Celsius, or 77 degrees Fahrenheit."<br /><br />The main recipients of these neurons are another batch of brain neurons. These neurons are part of a larger circuit of brain cells that are in charge of regulating wakefulness and sleep rhythms.<br /><br />When the circuit of neurons is activated due to a decrease in external temperatures, certain neurons that are normally activated by morning light are shut down.
