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A computational model of the integration of landmarks and motion in the insect central complex
- Source :
- PLoS ONE, Vol 12, Iss 2, p e0172325 (2017), PLoS ONE
- Publication Year :
- 2017
- Publisher :
- Public Library of Science (PLoS), 2017.
-
Abstract
- The insect central complex (CX) is an enigmatic structure whose computational function has evaded inquiry, but has been implicated in a wide range of behaviours. Recent experimental evidence from the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) and the cockroach (Blaberus discoidalis) has demonstrated the existence of neural activity corresponding to the animal's orientation within a virtual arena (a neural 'compass'), and this provides an insight into one component of the CX structure. There are two key features of the compass activity: an offset between the angle represented by the compass and the true angular position of visual features in the arena, and the remapping of the 270° visual arena onto an entire circle of neurons in the compass. Here we present a computational model which can reproduce this experimental evidence in detail, and predicts the computational mechanisms that underlie the data. We predict that both the offset and remapping of the fly's orientation onto the neural compass can be explained by plasticity in the synaptic weights between segments of the visual field and the neurons representing orientation. Furthermore, we predict that this learning is reliant on the existence of neural pathways that detect rotational motion across the whole visual field and uses this rotation signal to drive the rotation of activity in a neural ring attractor. Our model also reproduces the 'transitioning' between visual landmarks seen when rotationally symmetric landmarks are presented. This model can provide the basis for further investigation into the role of the central complex, which promises to be a key structure for understanding insect behaviour, as well as suggesting approaches towards creating fully autonomous robotic agents.
- Subjects :
- Vision
Social Sciences
lcsh:Medicine
Cockroaches
Animal Cells
Neural Pathways
Psychology
lcsh:Science
Neurons
Neurotransmitter Agents
Neuronal Plasticity
Animal Behavior
Behavior, Animal
Drosophila Melanogaster
Physics
Classical Mechanics
Brain
Animal Models
Insects
Experimental Organism Systems
Physical Sciences
Engineering and Technology
Sensory Perception
Drosophila
Cellular Types
Algorithms
Research Article
Animal Navigation
Arthropoda
Rotation
Compasses
Equipment
Research and Analysis Methods
Motion
Model Organisms
Orientation
Animals
Computer Simulation
Measurement Equipment
Behavior
Models, Statistical
lcsh:R
Organisms
Biology and Life Sciences
Cell Biology
Invertebrates
Cellular Neuroscience
Flight, Animal
Animal Migration
lcsh:Q
Zoology
Software
Neuroscience
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 19326203
- Volume :
- 12
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- PLoS ONE
- Accession number :
- edsair.pmid.dedup....8b847bc94a3f6f7711dd562d41fc1214