@article {65847,
	title = {Spatial readout of visual looming in the central brain of Drosophila.},
	journal = {eLife},
	volume = {9},
	year = {2020},
	month = {2020 Nov 18},
	abstract = {<p>Visual systems can exploit spatial correlations in the visual scene by using retinotopy. However, retinotopy is often lost, such as when visual pathways are integrated with other sensory modalities. How is spatial information processed outside of strictly visual brain areas? Here, we focused on visual looming responsive LC6 cells in , a population whose dendrites collectively cover the visual field, but whose axons form a single glomerulus-a structure without obvious retinotopic organization-in the central brain. We identified multiple cell types downstream of LC6 in the glomerulus and found that they more strongly respond to looming in different portions of the visual field, unexpectedly preserving spatial information. Through EM reconstruction of all LC6 synaptic inputs to the glomerulus, we found that LC6 and downstream cell types form circuits within the glomerulus that enable spatial readout of visual features and contralateral suppression-mechanisms that transform visual information for behavioral control.</p>
},
	issn = {2050-084X},
	doi = {10.7554/eLife.57685},
	author = {Morimoto, Mai M and Nern, Aljoscha and Zhao, Arthur and Rogers, Edward M and Wong, Allan and Isaacson, Mathew D and Bock, Davi and Rubin, Gerald M and Reiser, Michael B}
}
@article {48136,
	title = {Visual projection neurons in the Drosophila lobula link feature detection to distinct behavioral programs.},
	journal = {eLife},
	volume = {5},
	year = {2016},
	month = {2016 Dec 28},
	abstract = {<p>Visual projection neurons (VPNs) provide an anatomical connection between early visual processing and higher brain regions. Here we characterize lobula columnar (LC) cells, a class of Drosophila VPNs that project to distinct central brain structures called optic glomeruli. We anatomically describe 22 different LC types and show that, for several types, optogenetic activation in freely moving flies evokes specific behaviors. The activation phenotypes of two LC types closely resemble natural avoidance behaviors triggered by a visual loom. In vivo two-photon calcium imaging reveals that these LC types respond to looming stimuli, while another type does not, but instead responds to the motion of a small object. Activation of LC neurons on only one side of the brain can result in attractive or aversive turning behaviors depending on the cell type. Our results indicate that LC neurons convey information on the presence and location of visual features relevant for specific behaviors.</p>
},
	issn = {2050-084X},
	doi = {10.7554/eLife.21022},
	author = {Wu, Ming and Nern, Aljoscha and Williamson, W Ryan and Morimoto, Mai M and Reiser, Michael B and Card, Gwyneth M and Rubin, Gerald M}
}
