Neural Representation of Color in The Pigeon Visual Wulst

Abstract :

Color vision plays a vital role in the survival of many animals, underpinning behaviors ranging from foraging and predator detection to mate recognition. While the retinal and central mechanisms of color processing have been extensively studied in di- and trichromatic vertebrates (those with 2–3 cone types), far less is known about how the brain encodes color in tetrachromatic species, which possess 4 cone types. This is a striking gap, given the wealth of behavioral evidence highlighting the sophistication of color vision in birds. In this talk, I will present a comprehensive investigation of how color is represented at the neuronal level in the pigeon visual Wulst — the functional counterpart of the mammalian primary visual cortex — drawing on custom LED display engineering, Neuropixels electrophysiology, single-nucleus RNA sequencing, and computational modeling.

Bio:

Laura Busse is Professor of Organismic Neurobiology at the Faculty of Biology, LMU Munich, and a Max Planck Fellow at the MPI for Biological Intelligence. Her research focuses on the neural circuits underlying visual processing, with a particular emphasis on how thalamocortical interactions and behavioral state shape sensory representations in the early visual system. Using electrophysiology, optogenetics, and computational approaches in mice, her lab has made key contributions to understanding corticothalamic feedback, the role of the dorsolateral geniculate nucleus, and the influence of locomotion and arousal on visual processing.

Please note that this talk will not be streamed via Zoom. This is an in-person event only.