Neurons in direct contact - rotation selectivity achieved by direct computation of optic flow-fields between both hemispheres in the visual ganglion of blowflies
Research report (imported) 2006 - Max-Planck-Institut für Neurobiologie
Summary
Neurons in many species have large receptive fields that are selective for specific optic flow-fields. In a recent study the neural mechanisms underlying flow-field selectivity in the so-called H2-cell of the blowfly was investigated. For the first time it was shown that the direct contact between two cells from opposite brain hemispheres is sufficient to explain flow-field selectivity of a neuron utilized by the blowfly for appropriate steering maneuvers.