News Photos
Caption:
On the left, the brain of the well-rested blue fly has low levels of a synaptic protein called BRP in this 3D view from a confocal mircoscope. On the right, the brain of the sleep-deprived fly glows orange in areas of BRP concentration. (Bruchpilot or BRP is a protein involved in communication between neurons.)In the tired fly, the protein is present at high concentartions in three major areas of the fly's brain that are associated with learning. Sleep reduces the levels of this protein, an indication that synapses get smaller and/or weaker. This process of "downscaling" may be important so the brain is reset to normal levels of synaptic activity and can begin learning again the next day.
Image by: courtesy UW Health Public Affairs
Date: 2009
300 DPI JPEG
Photo use
Photographs are available to media organizations and University of Wisconsin-Madison departments for news, editorial and public relations uses, both print and electronic, that are directly related to UW-Madison. They are NOT available for generic use. For university-related use -- including textbooks, commercial products or advertising -- please contact Bryce Richter, photographer, University Communications, (608) 262-7411 or brichter2@wisc.edu.
Published photos must include a credit ("photographer's name/University of Wisconsin-Madison" or "courtesy of"). The specific credit and other details are also embedded in the digital file, which can be viewed by using Photoshop and selecting "file>file info."
None of these images may be modified, altered or used in any way that changes or misrepresents the photograph's content or overall context.