Neural computation guiding sensory navigation in the Drosophila larva
| When |
Jan 24, 2022
from 04:30 to 05:30 |
|---|---|
| Where | Online seminar |
| Attendees |
Matthieu Louis |
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Behavioral strategies employed for chemotaxis — the ability to orient in chemical gradients — have been studied across phyla, but the neural computations underlying odor-guided behaviors remain poorly understood. By combining electrophysiology, quantitative behavioral analysis and computational modeling, we explore how olfactory signals experienced during unconstrained motion are processed by the nervous system of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster larva. We exploit virtual olfactory environments created based on optogenetics (light stimulation) to study how dynamical sensory information is converted into basic orientation decisions. Our work aims to unravel the algorithms and neural computations that underlie the acquisition of sensory information through active movements of the body. Building on this detailed analysis in Drosophila melanogaster, we examine the conservation of the chemotaxis algorithm in closely-related species of the Drosophila group. Our comparative approach sets the stage for studying the evolutionary relationships between the structure and function of neural circuits directing sensory navigation.