Neural pathways and computations that achieve stable contrast processing tuned to natural scenes.

ABSTRACT: Natural scenes are highly dynamic, challenging the reliability of visual processing. Yet, humans and many animals perform accurate visual behaviors, whereas computer vision devices struggle with rapidly changing background luminance. How does animal vision achieve this? Here, we reveal the algorithms and mechanisms of rapid luminance gain control in Drosophila, resulting in stable visual processing. We identify specific transmedullary neurons as the site of luminance gain control, which pass this property to direction-selective cells. The circuitry further involves wide-field neurons, matching computational predictions that local spatial pooling drive optimal contrast processing in natural scenes when light conditions change rapidly. Experiments and theory argue that a spatially pooled lum

SUBMITTER: Gur B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11450186 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature