Multiplication in a single neuron. In a new @Nature article, @MalisJonatan, @BirteZuidinga, Axel Borst, and I describe the arithmetic of #Drosophila motion vision in biophysical terms. #Neuroscience @MPIforBI @MSCActions @EMBO (1/4) nature.com/articles/s4158… 
Using #PatchClamp #Ephys #InVivo, we recorded the membrane potentials of ON motion-sensing T4 neurons and their presynaptic partners. One type of input neuron (blue) provides continuous shunting inhibition. (2/4)
Only during visual motion in a T4 neuron’s preferred direction, well-timed release from inhibition amplifies coincident excitation in a multiplication-like fashion. Such ‘multiplicative disinhibition’ can approximate a logic AND gate. (#FlyPushing by @BirteZuidinga; 3/4)
Flies whose direction-selective neurons lack the ability to multiply fail to stay on course in a #VirtualReality. (4/4)
PS: When the number of neurons approaches the number of knobs, #MachineLearning and simulation-based inference by @mackelab helps navigate the shoals of parameter space. elifesciences.org/articles/56261
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