Dendritic and parallel processing of visual threats in the retina control defensive responses

Science Advances
T KimD Kerschensteiner

Abstract

Approaching predators cast expanding shadows (i.e., looming) that elicit innate defensive responses in most animals. Where looming is first detected and how critical parameters of predatory approaches are extracted are unclear. In mice, we identify a retinal interneuron (the VG3 amacrine cell) that responds robustly to looming, but not to related forms of motion. Looming-sensitive calcium transients are restricted to a specific layer of the VG3 dendrite arbor, which provides glutamatergic input to two ganglion cells (W3 and OFFα). These projection neurons combine shared excitation with dissimilar inhibition to signal approach onset and speed, respectively. Removal of VG3 amacrine cells reduces the excitation of W3 and OFFα ganglion cells and diminishes defensive responses of mice to looming without affecting other visual behaviors. Thus, the dendrites of a retinal interneuron detect visual threats, divergent circuits downstream extract critical threat parameters, and these retinal computations initiate an innate survival behavior.

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Citations

Apr 3, 2021·Current Biology : CB·Fei WangYifeng Zhang
May 25, 2021·Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience·Christopher M WhitakerStephen C Massey
Jun 7, 2021·Neural Networks : the Official Journal of the International Neural Network Society·Xiaohan LinYuanyuan Mi
Jul 31, 2021·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Kristian Donner

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Key Resources (RRID) Mentioned

AB_394264
AB_253401

Software Mentioned

VG3
Scanimage
MATLAB
ANY
maze
eMagin

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