Four years after scientists devised a way to paint individual mouse neurons in different colors, two independent groups have adapted the technique for use in the fruit fly. Both papers, replete with stunning images of fly neurons, appeared 6 February in Nature Methods.Traditional staining techniques follow the path of one neuron. But sorting out any one neuron from several others stained the same color is tricky, akin to unsnarling a single wire from a box full of tangled ones. The new technique marks each neuron with a different color, creating a clear picture of complex circuits.These radiant fly brain maps could be particularly helpful for studying genes linked to autism. Some studies indicate that the disorder may be the result of impaired connections between neurons.Read more at...SFARI, February 2011.