circuits/Optic flow stabilisation

Local motion detectors pooled into a global flow field, then turned into a correction. The insect answer to an inertial measurement unit.

**Computes** Self-motion estimate from wide-field visual flow. **Behaviour** Course stabilisation against drift and gusts; gaze holding. **Timescale** Reflex **Pathway** T4 / T5 -> HS / VS tangential cells -> Descending neurons -> Neck and wing motor neurons

Stages: - T4 / T5 (input, medulla) — Local ON and OFF direction-selective motion detectors - HS / VS tangential cells (relay, lobula-plate) — Wide-field pooling into horizontal and vertical flow - Descending neurons (decision, neck-tectulum) — Gaze and body correction commands - Neck and wing motor neurons (output, wing-tectulum) — Head and wing compensation

The pathway is published anatomy and ships here. The connectivity behind it comes from the source dataset: import a brain to extract the actual neurons and weights.

- Halteres supply a faster mechanical rotation signal that fuses with this visual estimate.

Cite as: Borst 2014; Maisak et al. 2013.