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A neural model for nonassociative learning in a prototypical sensory-motor scheme: the landing reaction in flies

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Abstract

Nonassociative learning is an important property of neural organization in both vertebrate and invertebrate species. In this paper we propose a neural model for nonassociative learning in a well studied prototypical sensory-motor scheme: the landing reaction of flies. The general structure of the model consists of sensory processing stages, a sensory-motor gate network, and motor control circuits. The paper concentrates on the sensory-motor gate network which has an agonist-antagonist structure. Sensory inputs to this circuit are transduced by chemical messenger systems whose dynamics include depletion and replenishment terms. The resulting circuit is a gated dipole anatomy and we show that it gives a good account of nonassociative learning in the landing reaction of the fly.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Houston, 77204-4793, Houston, TX, USA

    H. Öğmen & M. Moussa

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  1. H. Öğmen
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  2. M. Moussa
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Supported by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health

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Öğmen, H., Moussa, M. A neural model for nonassociative learning in a prototypical sensory-motor scheme: the landing reaction in flies. Biol. Cybern. 68, 351–361 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00201860

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00201860

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