Pattern Generation for Walking and Searching Movements of a Stick Insect Leg. I. Coordination of Motor Activity

Fischer, Hanno; Schmidt, Joachim; Haas, Roman; Büschges, Ansgar

doi:10.1152/jn.2001.85.1.341

Cited by 67 publications

(89 citation statements)

References 83 publications

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“…Furthermore, as we have shown that mean belt velocity in the single middle leg correlates with cycle period, our data imply that swing phase duration is independent of cycle period. This result differs from Fischer et al (2001), who concluded on the basis of EMG recordings only that the duration of both stance and swing phases depended on cycle period (their fig. 3d ).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 83%

“…3d ). At present, we cannot give a conclusive explanation for this difference, because a simple comparison of the results of both investigations is not possible; Fischer et al (2001) did not monitor the velocity of their treadmill, so it is not possible to estimate the range of belt velocities that were generated. The treadmill used in their investigation had a higher inertia, and since it has been shown that slower steps are generated on high inertia treadmills (Gabriel et al 2003), it is probable that belt velocities were shifted towards lower values.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…the semi-intact single middle leg preparation of the stick insect (Bässler 1993;Fischer et al 2001). Compared with the investigations reported previously, this more intact preparation endogenously expresses a locomotor rhythm varying in cycle period, speed or strength.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 86%

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Control of stepping velocity in a single insect leg during walking

Gabriel

Büschges

2006

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A.

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In the single middle leg preparation of the stick insect walking on a treadmill, the activity of flexor and extensor tibiae motor neurons and muscles, which are responsible for the movement of the tibia in stance and swing phases, respectively, was investigated with respect to changes in stepping velocity. Changes in stepping velocity were correlated with cycle period. There was a close correlation of flexor motor neuron activity (stance phase) with stepping velocity, but the duration and activation of extensor motor neurons (swing phase) was not altered. The depolarization of flexor motor neurons showed two components. At all step velocities, a stereotypic initial depolarization was generated at the beginning of stance phase activity. A subsequent larger depolarization and activation was tightly linked to belt velocity, i.e. it occurred earlier and with larger amplitude during fast steps compared with slow steps. Alterations in a tonic background excitation appear not to play a role in controlling the motor neuron activity for changes in stepping velocity. Our results indicate that in the single insect leg during walking, mechanisms for altering stepping velocity become effective only during an already ongoing stance phase motor output. We discuss the putative mechanisms involved.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 83%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

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Control of stepping velocity in a single insect leg during walking

Gabriel

Büschges

2006

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A.

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“…A similar coupling of TC-joint motoneuronal activity was reported in the single-middle-leg preparation of the stick insect, in which one middle leg generates walking-like movements on a treadband; however, with only the CTr-and FTijoint free to move (Fischer et al 2001). In this single-middleleg preparation, in which the TC-joint is fixed, de-efferented, and -afferented the activity of the TC-joint motoneurons is still coupled to walking movements performed by the more distal leg joints.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 69%

Signals From Load Sensors Underlie Interjoint Coordination During Stepping Movements of the Stick Insect Leg

Akay

Haehn²,

Schmitz³

et al. 2004

Journal of Neurophysiology

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Bü schges. Signals from load sensors underlie interjoint coordination during stepping movements of the stick insect leg. J Neurophysiol 92: 42-51, 200442. First published March 3, 2004; 10.1152/ jn.01271.2003. During stance and swing phase of a walking stick insect, the retractor coxae (RetCx) and protractor coxae (ProCx) motoneurons and muscles supplying the thorax-coxa (TC)-joint generate backward and forward movements of the leg. Their activity is tightly coupled to the movement of the more distal leg segments, i.e., femur, tibia, and tarsus. We used the single middle leg preparation to study how this coupling is generated. With only the distal leg segments of the middle leg being free to move, motoneuronal activity of the de-afferented and -efferented TC-joint is similarly coupled to leg stepping. RetCx motoneurons are active during stance and ProCx motoneurons during swing. We studied whether sensory signals are involved in this coordination of TC-joint motoneuronal activity. Ablation of the load measuring campaniform sensilla (CS) revealed that they substantially contribute to the coupling of TC-joint motoneuronal activity to leg stepping. Individually ablating trochanteral and femoral CS revealed the trochanteral CS to be necessary for establishing the coupling between leg stepping and coxal motoneuron activity. When the locomotor system was active and generated alternating bursts of activity in ProCx and RetCx motoneurons, stimulation of the CS by rearward bending of the femur in otherwise de-afferented mesothoracic ganglion terminated ongoing ProCx motoneuronal activity and initiated RetCx motoneuronal activity. We show that cuticular strain signals from the trochanteral CS play a major role in shaping TC-joint motoneuronal activity during walking and contribute to their coordination with the stepping pattern of the distal leg joints. We present a model for the sensory control of timing of motoneuronal activity in walking movements of the single middle leg.

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“…Coactivation of extensor and flexor tibiae motor neurons can occur during walking (Burns and Usherwood 1978;Duch and Pflüger 1995) and grooming of the ear (Berkowitz and Laurent 1996) in locusts and during walking in cockroaches (Krauthamer and Fourtner 1978;Larsen et al 1995), but it rarely occurs during wing scratching in the locust (Page et al 2008). In the slowly walking stick insect Cuniculina impigra, there is often a distinct gap between alternating extensor and flexor tibiae motor bursts (Fischer et al 2001). Even in the latter two cases, however, the slow relaxation of force following muscle activation (Clare et al 2009;Guschlbauer et al 2007) means that there is likely to be considerable co-contraction of the antagonistic muscles (Zakotnik et al 2006).…”

Section: Role Of the Flexor Tibiae Muscle During Active Extensionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Passive resting state and history of antagonist muscle activity shape active extensions in an insect limb

Ache

Matheson

2012

Journal of Neurophysiology

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Pattern Generation for Walking and Searching Movements of a Stick Insect Leg. I. Coordination of Motor Activity

Cited by 67 publications

References 83 publications

Control of stepping velocity in a single insect leg during walking

Control of stepping velocity in a single insect leg during walking

Signals From Load Sensors Underlie Interjoint Coordination During Stepping Movements of the Stick Insect Leg

Passive resting state and history of antagonist muscle activity shape active extensions in an insect limb

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