Escape Reflexes in Earthworms and Other Annelids

Hindsight and Rapid Escape in a Freshwater Oligochaete

“…Although the electrophysiological and behavioral events during responses to photic stimuli appeared indistinguishable from those elicited by mechanosensory stimuli, the timing of escape responses to these two stimulus types differed markedly with respect to onset latency. The latency between a mechanical stimulus and the onset of LGF spiking was usually less than 12 ms, a value comparable to those in other terrestrial and aquatic oligochaetes (Drewes, 1984;Zoran and Drewes. 1987).…”

Hindsight and Rapid Escape in a Freshwater Oligochaete

“…Although the electrophysiological and behavioral events during responses to photic stimuli appeared indistinguishable from those elicited by mechanosensory stimuli, the timing of escape responses to these two stimulus types differed markedly with respect to onset latency. The latency between a mechanical stimulus and the onset of LGF spiking was usually less than 12 ms, a value comparable to those in other terrestrial and aquatic oligochaetes (Drewes, 1984;Zoran and Drewes. 1987).…”

Behavioral plasticity and central regeneration of locomotor reflexes in the freshwater oligochaete, Lumbriculus variegatus. I: Transection studies

“…It has been previously suggested, on the basis of the relatively slow velocity of the moving waves, that the pathways responsible for swimming and reversal are probably not mediated by giant nerve fibers (Drewes 1999). Our results clearly indicate that functionally intact giant fiber pathways are not necessary for successful execution of whole-body swimming and reversal responses, since restoration of these response5 occurred earlier than restoration of through-conduction in the giant fibers.…”

The whole-body shortening reflex of the medicinal leech: motor pattern, sensory basis, and interneuronal pathways

“…One possible explanation is that the more extensive surgery required by the isolated preparation causes a general loss of excitability in the nervous system. A similar reduction of response after extensive dissection is seen in the giant fibers of the earthworm, which are also involved in shortening reflexes (Drewes 1984).…”

Hindsight and Rapid Escape in a Freshwater Oligochaete

“…Although the electrophysiological and behavioral events during responses to photic stimuli appeared indistinguishable from those elicited by mechanosensory stimuli, the timing of escape responses to these two stimulus types differed markedly with respect to onset latency. The latency between a mechanical stimulus and the onset of LGF spiking was usually less than 12 ms, a value comparable to those in other terrestrial and aquatic oligochaetes (Drewes, 1984;Zoran and Drewes. 1987).…”

Behavioral plasticity and central regeneration of locomotor reflexes in the freshwater oligochaete, Lumbriculus variegatus. I: Transection studies

“…It has been previously suggested, on the basis of the relatively slow velocity of the moving waves, that the pathways responsible for swimming and reversal are probably not mediated by giant nerve fibers (Drewes 1999). Our results clearly indicate that functionally intact giant fiber pathways are not necessary for successful execution of whole-body swimming and reversal responses, since restoration of these response5 occurred earlier than restoration of through-conduction in the giant fibers.…”

The whole-body shortening reflex of the medicinal leech: motor pattern, sensory basis, and interneuronal pathways

“…One possible explanation is that the more extensive surgery required by the isolated preparation causes a general loss of excitability in the nervous system. A similar reduction of response after extensive dissection is seen in the giant fibers of the earthworm, which are also involved in shortening reflexes (Drewes 1984).…”

Hindsight and Rapid Escape in a Freshwater Oligochaete

“…Although the electrophysiological and behavioral events during responses to photic stimuli appeared indistinguishable from those elicited by mechanosensory stimuli, the timing of escape responses to these two stimulus types differed markedly with respect to onset latency. The latency between a mechanical stimulus and the onset of LGF spiking was usually less than 12 ms, a value comparable to those in other terrestrial and aquatic oligochaetes (Drewes, 1984;Zoran and Drewes. 1987).…”

Behavioral plasticity and central regeneration of locomotor reflexes in the freshwater oligochaete, Lumbriculus variegatus. I: Transection studies

“…It has been previously suggested, on the basis of the relatively slow velocity of the moving waves, that the pathways responsible for swimming and reversal are probably not mediated by giant nerve fibers (Drewes 1999). Our results clearly indicate that functionally intact giant fiber pathways are not necessary for successful execution of whole-body swimming and reversal responses, since restoration of these response5 occurred earlier than restoration of through-conduction in the giant fibers.…”

The whole-body shortening reflex of the medicinal leech: motor pattern, sensory basis, and interneuronal pathways

“…One possible explanation is that the more extensive surgery required by the isolated preparation causes a general loss of excitability in the nervous system. A similar reduction of response after extensive dissection is seen in the giant fibers of the earthworm, which are also involved in shortening reflexes (Drewes 1984).…”