ScerGAL4Foma1 drives expression in a small cluster of optic lobe neurons that innervate the lobula complex and in the gamma lobe of the mushroom body. Five cells are labeled in the optic lobe, belonging to three distinc morphological types: one translobula plate neuron with processes in the lobula complex, one lobula columnar neuron which arborises in the proximal layers of the lobula and projects to the protocerebrum and three lobula plate tangential neurons with few processes in the lobula plate that project to the central brain.
ScerGAL4Foma1 labels a cluster of three neurons per optic lobe which extend arbours into layers of the lobula-plate.
Optogenetic activation (using Cnoc\ChR1Cs.IVS.20xUAS.Venus with 590 nm (red) light) of Scer\GAL4Foma1 neurons in adults significantly increases takeoff rates, compared to controls; these are a range of long and short duration takeoffs; a subset of these flies also display seizure-like leg extensions, seizures, but not takeoffs occur in decapitated flies due to activation.