Fruit flies respond to rapid changes in the visual environment thanks to luminance-sensitive lamina neurons
Vision is fundamentally based on the perception of contrast. When light conditions change, the eye needs a certain period of time to adapt and restore its ability to estimate contrast correctly. These processes are relatively well understood. However, researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) have now discovered a mechanism employed by the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster that broadens our understanding of visual perception. Their results explain why the eye can correctly evaluate contrast, even in suddenly changing light conditions. "Fruit flies can do this because they have nerve cells in their visual system that react to luminance. These nerve cells make it possible for the flies to adjust their behavior when visual stimuli dynamically change," explained Professor Marion Silies, head of the research project at JGU.