Neuroscientist specialized in vestibular system and spatial navigation - Group leader at the Ernst Strüngmann Institute for Neuroscience, Frankfurt, Germany.
Nov 12, 2021 • 7 tweets • 3 min read
I am concerned by the author's statement regarding @eLife's editorial process.
“Homophily” means both men & women favoring interaction with people of same gender.
To solely define it as "men finding other men’s accomplishments especially interesting" is biased reporting.
For the context: in the preprint, @SeidelTal and colleagues analyze the distribution of gender through eLife's editorial process. One of their prominent finding is a homophily effect where Senior Editors tend to assign manuscript to Reviewing Editors of the same gender (7-10%).
Oct 14, 2020 • 29 tweets • 11 min read
Chapter 4: Head rotation sensation is a splendid example of dynamic #Bayesian multisensory fusion since it involves several sensors with different dynamics. These sensor can be put in conflict or switched on/ off experimentally. Follow the tour! #vestibular2/ We have (at least) 3 rotations sensors with different dynamics: the inner ear's canals detect acceleration; vision velocity, and graviceptors position (when rotating in vertical planes). The brain also relies on a zero velocity prior. Looks like a job for a #Kalmanfilter!
Sep 7, 2020 • 10 tweets • 5 min read
Chapter 1: Why do we feel #dizzy when turning? This is because of how out inner ear’s rotation sensors (#vestibular semi-circular canals) work, from a mechanical point of view. Watch these movies and the next for explanations.
2/ The inner ear's #vestibular semi-circular canals are liquid-filled tubes. When the head rotates, the liquid stays in place and flows in the canal. This activates hair cells (in a structure called cupula) that sense the rotation.
Apr 18, 2020 • 8 tweets • 4 min read
1/8 - “A gravity-based three-dimensional compass in the mouse brain” is out rdcu.be/b3BWK. Rodent head direction cells form a 'neuronal compass' in the horizontal plane, but can they encode 3D orientation when the head moves in 3D? To find out, we put mice in a rotator.
2/8 - Yes, the rodent head direction system encodes 3D orientation: 55% cells in antero-dorsal thalamus (ADN) and retrosplenial cortex (RSC) are tuned in the horizontal plane (azimuth; 1D) and 71% are tuned in vertical planes (tilt; 2D). 42% are conjunctive and encode both.