Research article summary (published 22 Sep 2009):

Precise subcellular input retinotopy and its computational consequences in an identified visual interneuron.

Full Abstract

The Lobula Giant Movement Detector (LGMD) is a higher-order visual interneuron of Orthopteran insects that responds preferentially to objects approaching on a collision course. It receives excitatory input from an entire visual hemifield that anatomical evidence suggests is retinotopic. We show that this excitatory projection activates calcium-permeable nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. In vivo calcium imaging reveals that the excitatory projection preserves retinotopy down to the level of a single ommatidium. Examining the impact of retinotopy on the LGMD's computational properties, we show that sublinear synaptic summation can explain orientation preference in this cell. Exploring retinotopy's impact on directional selectivity leads us to infer that the excitatory input to the LGMD is intrinsically directionally selective. Our results show that precise retinotopy has implications for the dendritic integration of visual information in a single neuron.

Author information

Author/s: Peron, Simon P (SP); Jones, Peter W (PW); Gabbiani, Fabrizio (F);

Affiliation: Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA. perons(-atsign-)janelia.hhmi.org

Grants: NIBIB 5T32EB006350-02 (Agency:NIBIB NIH HHS) ; (Agency:Howard Hughes Medical Institute)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Neuron (Neuron), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Sep; vol 63 (issue 6) : pp 830-42

Dates: Created 2009/09/25; Completed 2009/10/09; Revised 2009/11/09;

PMID: 19778511, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/10/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Acetylcholine - pharmacology Action Potentials Animals Calcium - metabolism Computer Simulation Dendrites - metabolism; physiology Female Grasshoppers Interneurons - cytology; drug effects; physiology Models, Neurological

Models, Neurological Motion Perception - physiology Nerve Net Neural Inhibition Photic Stimulation - methods Presynaptic Terminals - physiology Receptors, Nicotinic - physiology Space Perception - physiology Visual Fields Visual Pathways - drug effects; physiology

Associated Chemicals: Receptors, Nicotinic (0) ; Acetylcholine (51-84-3) ; Calcium (7440-70-2)

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