title: The effect of sensory feedback on crayfish posture and locomotion: I. Experimental analysis of closing the loop.
abstract: The effect of proprioceptive feedback on the control of posture and locomotion was studied in the crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard). Sensory and motor nerves of an isolated crayfish thoracic nerve cord were connected to a computational neuromechanical model of the crayfish thorax and leg. Recorded levator (Lev) and depressor (Dep) nerve activity drove the model Lev and Dep muscles to move the leg up and down. These movements released and stretched a model stretch receptor, the coxobasal chordotonal organ (CBCO). Model CBCO length changes drove identical changes in the real CBCO; CBCO afferent responses completed the feedback loop. In a quiescent preparation, imposed model leg lifts evoked resistance reflexes in the Dep motor neurons that drove the leg back down. A muscarinic agonist, oxotremorine, induced an active state in which spontaneous Lev/Dep burst pairs occurred and an imposed leg lift excited a Lev assistance reflex followed by a Lev/Dep burst pair. When the feedback loop was intact, Lev/Dep burst pairs moved the leg up and down rhythmically at nearly three times the frequency of burst pairs when the feedback loop was open. The increased rate of rhythmic bursting appeared to result from the positive feedback produced by the assistance reflex.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia; and.
authors.forename: Bryce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia; and.
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bacqué-Cazenave
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia; and.
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Cofer
authors.affiliation: Institute de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, University of Bordeaux 1, Talence, France.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cattaert
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia; and dedwards@gsu.edu.
authors.forename: Donald H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Edwards
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D003400:Astacoidea; D063226:Central Pattern Generators / Q000502:physiology*; D005121:Extremities / Q000294:innervation; D056228:Feedback, Sensory; D008124:Locomotion; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018721:Muscarinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D010095:Oxotremorine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011187:Posture; D012018:Reflex; D013909:Thorax / Q000294:innervation
chemical_list: D018721:Muscarinic Agonists; D010095:Oxotremorine
keywords: computational model; crustacean; feedback; motor control; neuromechanics; proprioception; stretch receptor; walking