If a researcher wants to study the function of a specific neuron in a drosophila, which technique would they likely employ?

The correct answer is single-cell recording because this technique allows researchers to measure the electrical activity of a specific neuron, which is crucial for understanding its unique functions and characteristics. In the context of studying a neuron in a model organism like drosophila (fruit fly), single-cell recording offers the precision needed to observe and analyze the firing patterns and responses of individual neurons. This is particularly important in neurobiology, where the details of neuronal function can reveal insights into behavior, sensory processing, and neural circuits.

Other techniques, such as electroencephalography, magnetic resonance imaging, and functional MRI, are more suited for investigating broader brain activity and patterns across populations of neurons rather than the activity of a single neuron. These methods typically provide averaged data over larger areas of the brain, which would not suffice for the targeted investigation of specific neuronal functions in detail.