The Standard Model of the Retina
Wednesday, May 25, 2022
15:00 UTC
Prof Markus Meister
Caltech
Recording
Open recording
Hosted by Sussex Visions70 minutes
Abstract
The science of the retina has reached an interesting stage of completion. There exists now a consensus standard model of this neural system - at least in the minds of many researchers - that serves as a baseline against which to evaluate new claims. The standard model links phenomena from molecular biophysics, cell biology, neuroanatomy, synaptic physiology, circuit function, and visual psychophysics. It is further supported by a normative theory explaining what the purpose is of processing visual information this way. Most new reports of retinal phenomena fit squarely within the standard model, and major revisions seem increasingly unlikely. Given that our understanding of other brain circuits with comparable complexity is much more rudimentary, it is worth considering an example of what success looks like. In this talk I will summarize what I think are the ingredients that led to this mature understanding of the retina. Equally important, a number of practices and concepts that are currently en vogue in neuroscience were not needed or indeed counterproductive. I look forward to debating how these lessons might extend to other areas of brain research.
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