Transforming a head direction signal into a goal-oriented steering command. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38326621/)

These scientists wanted to understand how we know which way we are going and how we use that information to move in the right direction. They studied tiny flies called Drosophila and looked at their brain connections. They found three groups of cells in the fly's brain that help it know which way to go. These cells receive information about the direction the fly is facing and compare it to where it wants to go. They then send signals to the fly's muscles to make it turn or move faster.

One group of cells, called PFL3R, helps the fly turn right when it is facing left of its goal. Another group, called PFL3L, helps the fly turn left when it is facing right of its goal. The third group, called PFL2, helps the fly steer faster when it is far from its goal. These cells work together to help the fly move in the right direction.

The scientists used special techniques to look at the activity of these cells while the fly was moving. They also used chemicals to stimulate the cells and see how the fly's movement changed. By doing all these experiments, the scientists learned how the fly's brain creates a map of the space around it and uses that information to move towards its goal.

Westeinde EA., Kellogg E., Dawson PM., Lu J., Hamburg L., Midler B., Druckmann S., Wilson RI. Transforming a head direction signal into a goal-oriented steering command. Nature. 2024 Feb 7. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07039-2.