Lag normalization in an electrically coupled neural network

In this study, the authors show that velocity-dependent lag normalization in the retina is accomplished via a subset of adjacent directionally selective ganglion cells that are electrically coupled, allowing each activated cell to prime its neighbor. Moving objects can cover large distances while they are processed by the eye, usually resulting in a spatially lagged retinal response. We identified a network of electrically coupled motion–coding neurons in mouse retina that act collectively to register the leading edges of moving objects at a nearly constant spatial location, regardless of their velocity. These results reveal a previously unknown neurophysiological substrate for lag normalization in the visual system.