POTENTIAL INTERACTORS OF THE NEUROFIBROMATOSIS TYPE 1 ASSOCIATED GENE NEUROFIBROMIN

Neurofibromatosis Type 1 disease (NF-1) is a neurogenetic disorder affecting the eyes, skin, bones and the peripheral and the central nervous systems. Some NF-1 patients also have additional cognitive deficits, including increased risk for attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and disrupted sleep. The NF1 gene is highly conserved between human and Drosophila melanogaster. For this reason, Drosophila melanogaster was chosen for the project. The behavior of both wild-type and NF1 mutants was observed and recorded using an activity monitor.