Faculty Publications
Distinct Memory Traces for Two Parameters of Visual Pattern Recognition in the Drosophila Brain
Document Type
Article
Journal/Book/Conference Title
Nature
Volume
439
First Page
551
Last Page
556
Abstract
The fly Drosophila melanogaster can discriminate and remember visual landmarks. It analyses selected parts of its visual environment according to a small number of pattern parameters such as size, colour or contour orientation, and stores particular parameter values. Like humans, flies recognize patterns independently of the retinal position during acquisition of the pattern (translation invariance). Here we show that the central-most part of the fly brain, the fan-shaped body, contains parts of a network mediating visual pattern recognition. We have identified short-term memory traces of two pattern parameters—elevation in the panorama and contour orientation. These can be localized to two groups of neurons extending branches as parallel, horizontal strata in the fan-shaped body. The central location of this memory store is well suited to mediate translational invariance.
Department
Department of Biology
Original Publication Date
2-2-2006
DOI of published version
10.1038/nature04381
Recommended Citation
Wen, Ai; Liu, Gang; Seiler, Holger; Zars, Troy; Ito, Kei; Wolf, Reinhard; Heisenberg, Martin; and Liu, Li, "Distinct Memory Traces for Two Parameters of Visual Pattern Recognition in the Drosophila Brain" (2006). Faculty Publications. 6045.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/facpub/6045
