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The Journal of Neuroscience, February 1, 1999, 19(3):1122-1141
Computation of Object Approach by a Wide-Field,
Motion-Sensitive Neuron
Fabrizio
Gabbiani,
Holger G.
Krapp, and
Gilles
Laurent
Computation and Neural Systems Program, Division of Biology,
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125
The lobula giant motion detector (LGMD) in the locust visual system
is a wide-field, motion-sensitive neuron that responds vigorously to
objects approaching the animal on a collision course. We investigated
the computation performed by LGMD when it responds to approaching
objects by recording the activity of its postsynaptic target, the
descending contralateral motion detector (DCMD). In each animal, peak
DCMD activity occurred a fixed delay  (15  35 msec)
after the approaching object had reached a specific angular threshold
 thres on the retina (15° thres 40°). thres was independent of the size or velocity of
the approaching object. This angular threshold computation was quite
accurate: the error of LGMD and DCMD in estimating thres
(3.1-11.9°) corresponds to the angular separation between two and
six ommatidia at each edge of the expanding object on the locust
retina. It was also resistant to large amplitude changes in background
luminosity, contrast, and body temperature. Using several
experimentally derived assumptions, the firing rate of LGMD and DCMD
could be shown to depend on the product  (t  )
· e   (t ), where (t)
is the angular size subtended by the object during approach,
(t) is the angular edge velocity of the object and the
constant, and  is related to the angular threshold size [ = 1/tan(thres/2)]. Because LGMD appears to receive
distinct input projections, respectively motion- and size-sensitive,
this result suggests that a multiplication operation is implemented by
LGMD. Thus, LGMD might be an ideal model to investigate the biophysical implementation of a multiplication operation by single neurons.
Key words:
looming; multiplication; locust; LGMD; DCMD; lobula; collision-avoidance
Copyright © 1999 Society for Neuroscience 0270-6474/99/1931122-20$05.00/0
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