Scientists 're-engineer' behavior in ants by turning on genes in the brain

(New York University) Starvation or an attack by enemies turn on genes in carpenter ants that change their behavior in ways that help their colony survive, according to a study co-authored by NYU Langone researchers and published in the Jan. 1, 2016, edition of the journal Science. With related molecular pathways present in humans, the study may provide insights into mechanisms behind behavioral disorders.