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Linking the input to the output: new sets of neurons complement the polarization vision network in the locust central complex.

Heinze, Stanley LU and Homberg, Uwe (2009) In The Journal of Neuroscience 29(15). p.4911-4921
Abstract
Polarized light is a key feature of the blue sky, used by many animals as a sensory cue for compass navigation. Like other insects, locusts perceive the E-vector orientation of polarized light with a specialized region of their compound eye, the dorsal rim area. Neurons in the brain relay this information through several processing stages to the central complex. The central complex has a modular neuroarchitecture, composed of vertical columns and horizontal layers. Several types of central-complex neurons respond to dorsally presented, rotating E-vectors with tonic modulation of their firing frequency. These neurons were found at the input stage of the central complex, as well as near the proposed output stage, where neurons are tuned to... (More)
Polarized light is a key feature of the blue sky, used by many animals as a sensory cue for compass navigation. Like other insects, locusts perceive the E-vector orientation of polarized light with a specialized region of their compound eye, the dorsal rim area. Neurons in the brain relay this information through several processing stages to the central complex. The central complex has a modular neuroarchitecture, composed of vertical columns and horizontal layers. Several types of central-complex neurons respond to dorsally presented, rotating E-vectors with tonic modulation of their firing frequency. These neurons were found at the input stage of the central complex, as well as near the proposed output stage, where neurons are tuned to form a compass-like representation of E-vector orientations underlying the columnar organization of the central complex. To identify neurons suited to link input and output elements, we recorded intracellularly from 45 neurons of the central complex. We report several novel types of polarization-sensitive neurons. One of these is suited to fill the gap between input and output stages of the central-complex polarization vision network. Three types of neurons were sensitive to polarized light in only 50% of experiments suggesting that they are recruited to the network depending on behavioral context. Finally, we identified two types of neurons suited to transfer information toward thoracic motor circuits. The data underscore the key role of two subunits of the central complex, the lower division of the central body and the protocerebral bridge, in sky compass orientation. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
The Journal of Neuroscience
volume
29
issue
15
pages
4911 - 4921
publisher
Society for Neuroscience
external identifiers
  • scopus:65549093174
  • pmid:19369560
ISSN
1529-2401
DOI
10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0332-09.2009
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
c40ad42a-9d65-49f9-bc52-3b03b7866be8 (old id 4464523)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:01:06
date last changed
2023-09-16 17:54:59
@article{c40ad42a-9d65-49f9-bc52-3b03b7866be8,
  abstract     = {{Polarized light is a key feature of the blue sky, used by many animals as a sensory cue for compass navigation. Like other insects, locusts perceive the E-vector orientation of polarized light with a specialized region of their compound eye, the dorsal rim area. Neurons in the brain relay this information through several processing stages to the central complex. The central complex has a modular neuroarchitecture, composed of vertical columns and horizontal layers. Several types of central-complex neurons respond to dorsally presented, rotating E-vectors with tonic modulation of their firing frequency. These neurons were found at the input stage of the central complex, as well as near the proposed output stage, where neurons are tuned to form a compass-like representation of E-vector orientations underlying the columnar organization of the central complex. To identify neurons suited to link input and output elements, we recorded intracellularly from 45 neurons of the central complex. We report several novel types of polarization-sensitive neurons. One of these is suited to fill the gap between input and output stages of the central-complex polarization vision network. Three types of neurons were sensitive to polarized light in only 50% of experiments suggesting that they are recruited to the network depending on behavioral context. Finally, we identified two types of neurons suited to transfer information toward thoracic motor circuits. The data underscore the key role of two subunits of the central complex, the lower division of the central body and the protocerebral bridge, in sky compass orientation.}},
  author       = {{Heinze, Stanley and Homberg, Uwe}},
  issn         = {{1529-2401}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{15}},
  pages        = {{4911--4921}},
  publisher    = {{Society for Neuroscience}},
  series       = {{The Journal of Neuroscience}},
  title        = {{Linking the input to the output: new sets of neurons complement the polarization vision network in the locust central complex.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0332-09.2009}},
  doi          = {{10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0332-09.2009}},
  volume       = {{29}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}