Eye Motion Detection Sensors Identified

Scientists may have finally discovered how the eyes functionally detect motion, a mechanism which has been a mystery throughout the development of medical science. Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis reported in an online issue of the journal eLife that they have identified a neural circuit in the retina, located at the back of the eye, which carries signals related to motion detection. “There are many elements in the retinal circuitry that we haven’t figured out yet,” said the lead researcher of the study. “We know the signals from the rods and cones are transmitted to the retina — where the amacrine and ganglion cells are located — and that’s really where the ‘magic’ happens that allows us to see what we see. Unfortunately, we still have a very limited understanding of what most of the cells in the inner retina actually do.” This research may lay out groundwork for constructing an artificial retina for those who have suffered physical vision loss.To learn more about this study, click here.