The Attention Span of a Fly

Swinderen, Bruno van

doi:10.4161/fly.4561

Cited by 8 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Indeed, visual competition experiments in Drosophila have uncovered 20-30 Hz activity associated with salience [52], as well as selection and suppression dynamics of this neural signature of visual attention [44,53]. Together with the aforementioned behavioural data, these results provide good evidence that suppression mechanisms in the insect brain are dynamic and tuned to the immediate requirements of a constantly changing salience environment.…”

Section: Selective Attentionsupporting

confidence: 57%

Dopamine in Drosophila : setting arousal thresholds in a miniature brain

2011

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In mammals, the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) modulates a variety of behaviours, although DA function is mostly associated with motor control and reward. In insects such as the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster, DA also modulates a wide array of behaviours, ranging from sleep and locomotion to courtship and learning. How can a single molecule play so many different roles? Adaptive changes within the DA system, anatomical specificity of action and effects on a variety of behaviours highlight the remarkable versatility of this neurotransmitter. Recent genetic and pharmacological manipulations of DA signalling in Drosophila have launched a surfeit of stories-each arguing for modulation of some aspect of the fly's waking (and sleeping) life. Although these stories often seem distinct and unrelated, there are some unifying themes underlying DA function and arousal states in this insect model. One of the central roles played by DA may involve perceptual suppression, a necessary component of both sleep and selective attention.

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Section: Selective Attentionsupporting

confidence: 57%

Dopamine in Drosophila : setting arousal thresholds in a miniature brain

2011

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“…To get around the problem that the genetic variants need to fly, one solution is to screen by electrophysiology correlates alone. As we have seen above, the tethered non-flying fly still reveals attention-like responses in brain activity (Van Swinderen and Greenspan, 2003 ; Van Swinderen, 2007b ) and these were found to alternate non-randomly in wild-type flies (Van Swinderen, 2007b ; Van Swinderen and Brembs, 2010 ). Brain response dynamics to competing visual stimuli were altered in key variants, such as radish , a mutant that affects visual attention (Van Swinderen and Brembs, 2010 ).…”

Section: Utilizing the Genetic Workhorse Drosophilamentioning

confidence: 89%

“…Quantification of this process revealed 20–30 Hz alternation dynamics, where LFP activity would be increased for one object for multiple sweeps while activity was suppressed for the alternate object, and vice versa (Figures 6 C,D). This dynamic appeared non-random in wild-type flies (when compared to temporal permutations of the same LFP data), suggesting a persistence of attention-like responses assigned to either competing object (Van Swinderen, 2007b ; Van Swinderen and Brembs, 2010 ).…”

Section: Attentional Switching and Perceptual Rivalry In Drmentioning

confidence: 97%

Attentional Switching in Humans and Flies: Rivalry in Large and Miniature Brains

Miller¹,

Ngo²,

Swinderen³

2012

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

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Human perception, and consequently behavior, is driven by attention dynamics. In the special case of rivalry, where attention alternates between competing percepts, such dynamics can be measured and their determinants investigated. A recent study in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, now shows that the origins of attentional rivalry may be quite ancient. Furthermore, individual variation exists in the rate of attentional rivalry in both humans and flies, and in humans this is under substantial genetic influence. In the pathophysiological realm, slowing of rivalry rate is associated with the heritable psychiatric condition, bipolar disorder. Fly rivalry may therefore prove a powerful model to examine genetic and molecular influences on rivalry rate, and may even shed light on human cognitive and behavioral dysfunction.

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“…Some years ago van Swinderen [ 25 ] identified a hypothetical electrophysiological correlate of an attention span in the Drosophila brain. He measured the oscillation amplitude within a certain frequency range of a local field potential (LFP).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vision in Flies: Measuring the Attention Span

2016

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A visual stimulus at a particular location of the visual field may elicit a behavior while at the same time equally salient stimuli in other parts do not. This property of visual systems is known as selective visual attention (SVA). The animal is said to have a focus of attention (FoA) which it has shifted to a particular location. Visual attention normally involves an attention span at the location to which the FoA has been shifted. Here the attention span is measured in Drosophila. The fly is tethered and hence has its eyes fixed in space. It can shift its FoA internally. This shift is revealed using two simultaneous test stimuli with characteristic responses at their particular locations. In tethered flight a wild type fly keeps its FoA at a certain location for up to 4s. Flies with a mutation in the radish gene, that has been suggested to be involved in attention-like mechanisms, display a reduced attention span of only 1s.

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The Attention Span of a Fly

Cited by 8 publications

References 6 publications

Dopamine in Drosophila : setting arousal thresholds in a miniature brain

Dopamine in Drosophila : setting arousal thresholds in a miniature brain

Attentional Switching in Humans and Flies: Rivalry in Large and Miniature Brains

Vision in Flies: Measuring the Attention Span

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