The postnatal development of the air-righting reaction in albino rats. Quantitative analysis of normal development and the effect of preventing neck-torso and torso-pelvis rotations

Laouris, Yiannis; Kalli-Laouri, Joulietta; Schwartze, P

doi:10.1016/0166-4328(90)90070-u

Cited by 39 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…The average time to reorient was only 106 Ϯ 6 ms (n ϭ 16; Fig. 3f ), the shortest duration yet reported for air-righting animals unassisted by wings (16)(17)(18)(19). Finally, the tail was realigned with the longitudinal body axis, which compensated for the initially generated pitch.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…Mammalian air-righting responses are generally characterized by twists and flexions of the spine that change shape (16)(17)(18)(19)21) and therefore the instantaneous moment of inertia (22). No difference is apparent between the air-righting performance of tailed and tailless cats (16).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…No difference is apparent between the air-righting performance of tailed and tailless cats (16). Rats are unable to execute air-righting responses if headtorso and torso-pelvis rotation is prevented, leaving only the tail free to move (17). Tail cycling during free fall of the ''flying gecko'' Ptychozoon kuhli has been associated with changes in posture such as somersaulting (23).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Active tails enhance arboreal acrobatics in geckos

Jusufi

Goldman

Revzen

et al. 2008

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

206

232

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Geckos are nature's elite climbers. Their remarkable climbing feats have been attributed to specialized feet with hairy toes that uncurl and peel in milliseconds. Here, we report that the secret to the gecko's arboreal acrobatics includes an active tail. We examine the tail's role during rapid climbing, aerial descent, and gliding. We show that a gecko's tail functions as an emergency fifth leg to prevent falling during rapid climbing. A response initiated by slipping causes the tail tip to push against the vertical surface, thereby preventing pitch-back of the head and upper body. When pitch-back cannot be prevented, geckos avoid falling by placing their tail in a posture similar to a bicycle's kickstand. Should a gecko fall with its back to the ground, a swing of its tail induces the most rapid, zero-angular momentum air-righting response yet measured. Once righted to a sprawled gliding posture, circular tail movements control yaw and pitch as the gecko descends. Our results suggest that large, active tails can function as effective control appendages. These results have provided biological inspiration for the design of an active tail on a climbing robot, and we anticipate their use in small, unmanned gliding vehicles and multisegment spacecraft.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 87%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Active tails enhance arboreal acrobatics in geckos

Jusufi

Goldman

Revzen

et al. 2008

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

206

232

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“…The control of moments of inertia is highly effective even in terrestrial animals, for example, during falling and jumping, in which rats maintain an upright body posture by twisting their entire body (Laouris et al, 1990) and geckos and lizards by beating their heavy tails (Jusufi et al, 2008;Libby et al, 2012). In preparation for targeted jumps, moreover, flightless mantis generate a controlled whole-body spin by adjustment of their centre of mass (Burrows et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Body appendages fine-tune posture and moments in freely manoeuvring fruit flies

Berthé

Lehmann

2015

Journal of Experimental Biology

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The precise control of body posture by turning moments is key to elevated locomotor performance in flying animals. Although elevated moments for body stabilization are typically produced by wing aerodynamics, animals also steer using drag on body appendages, shifting their centre of body mass, and changing moments of inertia caused by active alterations in body shape. To estimate the instantaneous contribution of each of these components for posture control in an insect, we three-dimensionally reconstructed body posture and movements of body appendages in freely manoeuvring fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) by high-speed video and experimentally scored drag coefficients of legs and body trunk at low Reynolds number. The results show that the sum of leg-and abdomen-induced yaw moments dominates wing-induced moments during 17% of total flight time but is, on average, 7.2-times (roll, 3.4-times) smaller during manoeuvring. Our data reject a previous hypothesis on synergistic moment support, indicating that drag on body appendages and massshift inhibit rather than support turning moments produced by the wings. Numerical modelling further shows that hind leg extension alters the moments of inertia around the three main body axes of the animal by not more than 6% during manoeuvring, which is significantly less than previously reported for other insects. In sum, yaw, pitch and roll steering by body appendages probably fine-tune turning behaviour and body posture, without providing a significant advantage for posture stability and moment support. Motion control of appendages might thus be part of the insect's trimming reflexes, which reduce imbalances in moment generation caused by unilateral wing damage and abnormal asymmetries of the flight apparatus.

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“…It is also believed that the mid-brain plays a key role for the initiation of the reflex [2]. The development of airrighting in growing new-born rats was clearly suppressed when their neck and/or back rotations were prevented [3], suggesting that the neck and back muscles play important roles for a quick righting. Further, Skorina et al [4] reported that an inhibition of a quick righting in response to drop from supine position was induced after hindlimb suspension of rats during neonatal period including a critical developing period of the central vestibular system.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Hindlimb Suspension Inhibits Air-Righting Due to Altered Recruitment of Neck and Back Muscles in Rats

Kawano

Wang

Lan

et al. 2004

JJP

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The air-righting reaction is a vestibular input-triggered reflex inducing head and lumbar righting in response to a drop from supine position [1]. It is also believed that the mid-brain plays a key role for the initiation of the reflex [2]. The development of airrighting in growing new-born rats was clearly suppressed when their neck and/or back rotations were prevented [3], suggesting that the neck and back muscles play important roles for a quick righting. Further, Skorina et al. [4] reported that an inhibition of a quick righting in response to drop from supine position was induced after hindlimb suspension of rats during neonatal period including a critical developing period of the central vestibular system.We previously reported that the patterns of landing and posture adjustment in response to head-down drop from a height of ~30 cm were inhibited following 9-week hindlimb suspension of adult rats [5]. Although all of the control rats were able to land smoothly by using the four limbs as the shock absorber, the unloaded rats landed by hitting their abdomen. The hindlimb-suspended, but not control, rats dorsiflexed their trunk during fall. Even though the trunk angle recovered significantly within 2 days, it was not normalized completely even after 8 weeks. Such phenomena were associated with inhibited recruitment (mobilization) of neck (rhomboideus capitis) and back muscles (internal oblique). The detrimental effects on landing performance could be also due to the lowered force development caused by muscle fiber atrophy. However, it is still unclear how the air-righting performance in adult rats is influenced by hindlimb suspension, which is often used to unload the hindlimb muscles as one of the simulation model for the expo- Correspondence should be addressed to: Yoshinobu Ohira, School of Health and Sport Sciences, Osaka University, Toyonaka City, Osaka, 560-0043 Japan. Phone/Fax: +81-6-6850-6032, E-mail: ohira@space.hss.osaka-u.ac.jp Abstract: Effects of 9-week hindlimb suspension and 8-week recovery on air-righting reaction in response to drop from a supine position were studied in adult rats. The righting time in rats at the end of suspension (~220 ms) was longer than the age-matched controls (~120 ms, p < 0.05). The unloading-related change in righting time was accompanied by lowered activities of electromyogram (EMG) and altered recruitment of both neck and back muscles at a specific stage of drop. After 8 weeks of reambulation, righting time recovered toward the control level (~153 ms, p < 0.05), but the EMG activity of back muscle was still less than controls. In contrast, the EMG of neck muscle during fall was even increased. The differences in the characteristics of the muscle fibers between two groups were minor. It is suggested that inhibition of recruitment, rather than the changes in the fiber characteristics, of neck and back muscles is one of the major causes of the slow air-righting.

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The postnatal development of the air-righting reaction in albino rats. Quantitative analysis of normal development and the effect of preventing neck-torso and torso-pelvis rotations

Cited by 39 publications

References 16 publications

Active tails enhance arboreal acrobatics in geckos

Active tails enhance arboreal acrobatics in geckos

Body appendages fine-tune posture and moments in freely manoeuvring fruit flies

Hindlimb Suspension Inhibits Air-Righting Due to Altered Recruitment of Neck and Back Muscles in Rats

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