The Structural Basis of Direction Selectivity in the Retina

Funded Activity Summary

The retina is part of the central nervous system and there are almost one hundred types of retinal neurons which process visual information before it is passed up the optic nerve to the brain. This project examines how some of these neurons are wired together to form a simple neuronal circuit that detects the direction of a moving object. The elucidation of the cellular mechanisms of direction selectivity will provide an important paradigm of complex processing by simple neuronal circuits, with direct relevance to information processing in other parts of the central nervous system. In particular, the project may provide strong evidence for two neuronal strategies that may be of general significance. First, information may be processed at a very local level, which would greatly increase the computational power of a single neuron. Second, neurons may make selective contact with only some processes of an input neuron, which would require novel mechanisms for producing the necessary specificity.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2000

End Date: 01-01-2004

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $401,705.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Medical virology

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

confocal microscopy | electron microscopy | information processing | neural circuit | neurology | ophthalmology | retinal degeneration | retinal ganglion cell

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