In-flight Sight

This section through the brain of a fruit fly, Drosophila, shows neurons [nerve cells] firing into action in preparation for flight. Yet something odd is going on – the neurons lit up at the centre of the brain (stained in green with their nuclei stained red) are actually sending messages to the optic lobes (ball-shaped areas on the left and right) where vision is controlled. These special neurons (known as octopamine neurons) boost the fly’s sight prior to take-off, aiding its panoramic view of the terrain whilst soaring high above the ground. Each neuron is 5,000 times thinner than an electrical wire and transmits these signals in a fraction of a second. Speedy ‘re-wiring’ of neurons occurs inside mammalian brains, too – the visual senses of the mouse brain are heightened during movement, a handy trick when you’re on the hunt for a meal, or trying to avoid becoming one.

Written by John Ankers

John Ankers

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A former researcher in systems biology, John is now an online biology tutor and professional coach supporting the wellbeing of scientists and NHS professionals. He's writing, too, of course.

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• Marie Suver, California Institute of Technology, USA
• Michael H. Dickinson, University of Washington, USA
• Copyright Elsevier 2012
• Published in Current Biology 22(24): 2294-2303