Development of the Lamprey Central Pattern Generator for Locomotion

包括人在内的动物的运动需要精确的时间来平稳和协调。控制运动的神经元已经存在了数百万年，如果我们能理解它们是如何工作的，我们将有基本的知识来理解运动的许多方面，从设计机器人到康复中风患者。拟议的研究将集中在已知最古老的脊椎动物之一。七鳃鳗。它的神经系统必须通过可在体外记录的模式生成神经提供准确的波动。此外，七鳃鳗经历了一个漫长的幼虫期，在此期间，即使神经元生长得更长，因此需要更长的时间来刺激肌肉，但步调控制神经元必须改变细胞的放电速率以保持节律的确切阶段。本研究将提供模拟游泳时细胞放电模式的基本生物学数据，以及稳定和不稳定模式和相移的数学分析。这项工作应该告诉我们很多关于运动控制的非常基本的事件。

Movement by animals including man, requires precise timing to be smooth and coordinated. The neurons which control movement have been in existence for millions of years and if we can understand how they work we will have fundamental knowledge for understanding numerous aspects of movement from designing robots to rehabilitating stroke victims. The proposed study will focus on one of the oldest vertebrates known . the lamprey. Its nervous system has to provide accurate wave motions through pattern generating nerves which can be recorded in vitro. Also the lamprey undergoes a protracted larval phase during which the pace maker neurons must change cell firing rates to maintain the exact phase of the rhythm even though the neurons are growing longer and thereby taking longer to fire the muscle. The study will provide both basic biological data of the cell firing patterns during fictive swimming and also a mathematical analysis of the stable and unstable patterns and phase shifts. The work should tell us much about very basic events in the control of movement.