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Integrating visual counterevidence to detect self-motion in a small visual circuit

Award Number: R01EY026555
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/01/2016
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/31/2026

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Integrating visual counterevidence to detect self-motion in a small visual circuit - Animals perceive optic flow and use it to guide a range of navigational behaviors, such as stabilizing body trajectories and eye movements. In this project, we propose to dissect how different visual cues are combined to guide stabilizing behaviors, and how these cues serve as evidence for and against an animal’s self-motion. We will investigate these computations in the fruit fly Drosophila, which allows us to use powerful genetic tools to define the roles of individual neurons in neural computations. With these tools, our research will (a) characterize the algorithms that combine types of visual evidence, (b) identify the circuits that encode and combine these cues, and (c) determine how neurons perform these computations. This work is significant for two reasons. First, our studies will examine how the fly integrates visual evidence both for and against its own self-motion. This form of counterevidence integration cannot be accounted for by current models of optic flow detection. Thus, this project will establish new approaches to studying how animals estimate their own self-motion. Second, the types of visual evidence for and against self-motion are constrained by the geometry of the visual world. Because of this common geometry and parallels in visual processing between flies and mammals, it is likely that mammalian visual systems make use of algorithms similar to those we will find in the fly. Thus, analysis in the compact fly brain will uncover principles for understanding these computations in the brains of larger animals. In our research, we will combine genetic tools and behavioral measurements to investigate three questions: How do different visual cues interact in stabilizing the fly’s heading? What circuitry is required for the different types of cues? And how do the circuits process and integrate these cues to generate behavior? These questions lead to the three aims of our research. Aim 1 characterizes the algorithm that integrates evidence for and against the fly’s self-motion and guides its turning behavior. Behavioral measurements with targeted visual stimuli will constrain or rule out potential models. Aim 2 identifies neurons required to integrate visual counterevidence into turning behavior. We will use genetic tools to silence specific neurons in the visual system in order to identify neurons required for this computation. Aim 3 measures functional response properties of visual neurons in the circuits that encode and integrate these visual cues. We will use measurements of neuron responses to stimuli to test hypotheses for how these neurons combine signals to generate the observed motion signals and behaviors. On completion, these studies will result in a detailed understanding of the algorithms and neural mechanisms that integrate different visual cues to stabilize heading in flies. This will provide a template for understanding how visual evidence is combined to estimate self-motion in other animals as well.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $399,719 )
2025	2025	YALE UNIV	150 MUNSON ST	NEW HAVEN	CT	06511	SOUTH CENTRAL CT	USA	Vision Research	000	10	3/20/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$399,719
														Subtotal = $399,719

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $400,539 )
2024	2024	YALE UNIV	150 MUNSON ST	NEW HAVEN	CT	06511	SOUTH CENTRAL CT	USA	Vision Research	000	9	3/11/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$400,539
														Subtotal = $400,539

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $401,323 )
2023	2023	YALE UNIVERSITY	105 WALL ST	NEW HAVEN	CT	06511	SOUTH CENTRAL CT	USA	Vision Research	000	8	3/27/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$401,323
														Subtotal = $401,323

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $390,011 )
2022	2022	YALE UNIVERSITY	105 WALL ST	NEW HAVEN	CT	06511	SOUTH CENTRAL CT	USA	Vision Research	004	7	4/6/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$390,011
2022	2021	YALE UNIVERSITY	105 WALL ST	NEW HAVEN	CT	06511	SOUTH CENTRAL CT	USA	Vision Research	001	6	10/13/2021	COMPETING CONTINUATION	$110,280
2022	2021	YALE UNIVERSITY	105 WALL ST	NEW HAVEN	CT	06511	SOUTH CENTRAL CT	USA	Vision Research	003	6	3/14/2022	COMPETING CONTINUATION	$1,596
2022	2020	YALE UNIVERSITY	105 WALL ST	NEW HAVEN	CT	06511	SOUTH CENTRAL CT	USA	Vision Research	002	5	3/14/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$1,596
2022	2020	YALE UNIVERSITY	105 WALL ST	NEW HAVEN	CT	06511	SOUTH CENTRAL CT	USA	Vision Research	000	5	10/13/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$110,280
														Subtotal = $390,011

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $402,792 )
2021	2021	YALE UNIVERSITY	105 WALL ST	NEW HAVEN	CT	06511	SOUTH CENTRAL CT	USA	Vision Research	001	6	4/8/2021	COMPETING CONTINUATION	$402,792
2021	2020	YALE UNIVERSITY	105 WALL ST	NEW HAVEN	CT	06511	SOUTH CENTRAL CT	USA	Vision Research	000	5	4/2/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $402,792

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $402,936 )
2020	2020	YALE UNIVERSITY	105 WALL ST	NEW HAVEN	CT	06511	SOUTH CENTRAL CT	USA	Vision Research	000	5	3/26/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$402,936
														Subtotal = $402,936

Issue Date FY: 2019 ( Subtotal = $403,617 )
2019	2019	YALE UNIVERSITY	105 WALL ST	NEW HAVEN	CT	06511	SOUTH CENTRAL CT	USA	Vision Research	000	4	4/8/2019	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$403,617
														Subtotal = $403,617

Issue Date FY: 2018 ( Subtotal = $404,269 )
2018	2018	YALE UNIVERSITY	105 WALL ST	NEW HAVEN	CT	06511	SOUTH CENTRAL CT	USA	Vision Research	000	3	4/16/2018	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$404,269
														Subtotal = $404,269

Issue Date FY: 2017 ( Subtotal = $404,892 )
2017	2017	YALE UNIVERSITY	105 WALL ST	NEW HAVEN	CT	06511	SOUTH CENTRAL CT	USA	Vision Research	000	2	3/30/2017	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$364,402
2017	2017	YALE UNIVERSITY	105 WALL ST	NEW HAVEN	CT	06511	SOUTH CENTRAL CT	USA	Vision Research	001	2	8/9/2017	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$40,490
														Subtotal = $404,892

Issue Date FY: 2016 ( Subtotal = $404,913 )
2016	2016	YALE UNIVERSITY	47 College Street	NEW HAVEN	CT	06520	SOUTH CENTRAL CT	USA	Vision Research	000	1	3/31/2016	NEW	$404,913
														Subtotal = $404,913

Grand Total All Awards = $4,015,011

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Integrating visual counterevidence to detect self-motion in a small visual circuit

Award Number: R01EY026555

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/01/2016

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/31/2026

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