Neural models for SUSTAINED and ON-OFF units of insect lamina.

We present models based on transmitter gating and competition for SUSTAINED and ON-OFF units located in the lamina of the fly visual system. Predictions of the models are compared with data in several experimental paradigms. The overshoot and the plateau of the response are explained by the adaptation process of transmitter dynamics. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that this transmitter adaptation when coupled with fast competition can explain response features arising from different combinations of ON and OFF field inputs.