Neural bases of honeybee visual information processing and locomotion control
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sheffield
Department Name: Biomedical Science
Abstract
Photoreceptors represent light changes through their synaptic transmission. Postsynaptic interneurones then encode these messages into responses that represent similarities and differences of real-world objects consistently. When the world seems noisy (in dim light), it is best captured by summing up its events slowly, as this increases the reliability of vision. But when the world is unambiguous (in bright light), it is important to enhance its differences fast, as this best utilises the neurones' limited channel capacity. Thus, to maximise information flow, neural representations of the world should adapt to its changing statistics. Although photoreceptor synapses have been implied to follow these coding rules, the mechanisms underpinning their adaptive information processing remain a mystery.
The aim of this P.D.-project is to quantify and model how quantal synaptic information transfer in honeybee photoreceptor synapses adapts to changing light conditions. By using electrophysiological approaches while monitoring behavior in novel virtual reality systems and mathematical modelling, the student will investigate how pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms are tuned together to maximise synaptic information transfer and how this information is represented and distributed for the bee visual perception. We anticipate that such knowledge would have direct impact in guiding the design of future neural implants, other biomimetic devises and robotic vision.
The aim of this P.D.-project is to quantify and model how quantal synaptic information transfer in honeybee photoreceptor synapses adapts to changing light conditions. By using electrophysiological approaches while monitoring behavior in novel virtual reality systems and mathematical modelling, the student will investigate how pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms are tuned together to maximise synaptic information transfer and how this information is represented and distributed for the bee visual perception. We anticipate that such knowledge would have direct impact in guiding the design of future neural implants, other biomimetic devises and robotic vision.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Mikko Ilmari Juusola (Primary Supervisor) |
Studentship Projects
Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BB/M011151/1 | 30/09/2015 | 29/09/2023 | |||
1945521 | Studentship | BB/M011151/1 | 30/09/2017 | 01/01/2022 |
Description | Behavioural evidence for extremely fine 3D vision in the fruit fly, this is the ability to process 3D information from two 2D images |
Exploitation Route | New insights into how the eyes and brain capture and process 3D information can be used in robotics. |
Sectors | Education |
Title | A new high-speed camera/microscope system for measuring in vivo photomechanical photoreceptors contractions across the Drosophila compound eyes |
Description | We designed and built a new instrument that allows one to measure in vivo photomechanical photoreceptors contractions across the Drosophila compound eyes. The system uses stepping motor-based two-axis goniometers to rotate a fly along the centre of its head under IR-illumination while stimulating selected photoreceptors through the compound eye lens systems and recording the resulting photomechanical movements. |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | This system is now used to produce data about how compound eyes enable stereovision that we intend to publish shortly. |
Title | Software code used in Li et al (2019) Ca2+-activated K+ channels reduce network excitability, improving adaptability and energetics for transmitting and perceiving sensory information. Journal of Neuroscience |
Description | Code to reproduce the model simulations in Li et al (2019) Ca2+-activated K+ channels reduce network excitability, improving adaptability and energetics for transmitting and perceiving sensory information. Journal of Neuroscience. |
Type Of Technology | Software |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Open Source License? | Yes |
Impact | Code to reproduce the model simulations in Li et al (2019) Ca2+-activated K+ channels reduce network excitability, improving adaptability and energetics for transmitting and perceiving sensory information. Journal of Neuroscience. The software can be easily adapted to other invertebrate photoreceptor models. |
URL | https://www.jneurosci.org/content/39/36/7132 |
Description | Invited talk: "Hyperacute stereovision in Fruit fly, Drosophila melangaster." 16.03.2019. Technical University of Hefei, China. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | 25 Scientists attended my invited talk: "Hyperacute stereovision in Fruit fly, Drosophila melangaster." 16.03.2019. Technical University of Hefei, China. This lead to lively discussions and planned collaborations. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Invited talk: "Hyperacute stereovision in Fruit fly, Drosophila melangaster." 19.12.2019. Harbin University of Technology, Harbin, China |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | About 200 people attended my talk: "Hyperacute stereovision in Fruit fly, Drosophila melangaster." 19.12.2019. Harbin University of Technology, Harbin, China. This led to a lively discussion and plans to collaborate. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | http://rwxy.hit.edu.cn/2019/1217/c6938a234766/page.htm |
Description | Invited talk: "Hyperacute stereovision in Fruit fly, Drosophila melangaster." 23.05.2019. Fudan University (Engineering), Shanghai, China |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | About 150 people attended my invited talk: "Hyperacute stereovision in Fruit fly, Drosophila melangaster." 23.05.2019. Fudan University, Shanghai, China. This led to lively discussions and plans for future collaborations. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Invited talk: "Hyperacute stereovision in Fruit fly, Drosophila melangaster." 27.09.2019. Fudan University (Biology), Shanghai, China |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | About 50 scientists attended my talk: "Hyperacute stereovision in Fruit fly, Drosophila melangaster." 27.09.2019. Fudan University (Biology), Shanghai, China. THis led to lively discussions and plans to collaborate. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Invited talk: "Hyperacute stereovision in fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster." 09.08.2019. International Conference on Invertebrate Vision, Bäckaskog Castle, Lund, Sweden |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | ~350 scientists attended my talk "Hyperacute stereovision in fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster." 09.08.2019. International Conference on Invertebrate Vision, Bäckaskog Castle, Lund, Sweden. The talk sparked questions and discussion afterwards. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.iciv.se/ |
Description | Invited talk: Hyperacute stereovision in Fruit fly, Drosophila melangaster. 25.09.2019. Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | About 25 people attended my invited talk: "Hyperacute stereovision in Fruit fly, Drosophila melangaster." 25.09.2019. Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. This led to lively discussions and plans for collaboration. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |