Mechanisms controlling the expression of a rhythmic behavior

描述（由申请人提供）：有节奏的行为产生对于运动和呼吸等活动至关重要。这些系统的中断可能会导致执行甚至是简单任务的困难。出于这个原因，广泛的研究集中在节奏行为背后的机制上。行为启动和振荡产生等领域在几个物种中得到了很好的理解。然而，有一个关于控制节奏的行为持续时间的信息缺乏。神经系统是如何维持产生持续行为所必需的高水平兴奋的？本研究借由测试新颖的泳动维持模式，探讨药用水蛭维持有节奏泳动的能力。这个模型，根据初步和公布的数据，提出了多个层次的控制协同工作，以维持游泳。在大鼠尾侧中体神经节中发现了一种新的细胞，即“OM”，其持续兴奋可使大鼠无限期游泳。在尾侧脑中，已经确定了几个细胞，其抑制似乎是必要的延长游泳，其兴奋有助于游泳终止。尖电极电生理学将被用来分类这些新的游泳控制神经元的功能，细胞和电路特性。我们对水蛭游动网络中细胞间连接的详细了解使其成为计算机建模的优秀系统。实验获得的数据将输入到Neurodynamix II程序中，以测试游泳维持模型是否确实可以解释游泳维持。这项研究的完成将增加我们对神经系统如何维持节律行为的理解，为更复杂物种的行为维持研究奠定基础。此外，这项建议将填补一个重要的空白，否则特征良好的水蛭游泳系统，可用于研究其他领域，如尖峰编码，学习和记忆，行为选择和设计神经假体设备。 公共卫生相关性：完成本提案将阐明维持节律行为的机制，这是一个知之甚少的领域。这些信息可以应用于设计治疗受损的节律系统（如脊髓）的疗法。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Rhythmic behavior production is essential for activities such as locomotion and breathing. A disruption to these systems can cause difficulties in executing even simple tasks. For this reason, extensive research has focused on the mechanisms behind rhythmic behaviors. Areas such as behavior-initiation and oscillation production are well understood in several species. However, there is a paucity of information regarding control of rhythmic behavior duration. How are nervous systems able to maintain the high level of excitation necessary to generate a sustained behavior? This proposal examines the maintenance of rhythmic swimming in the medicinal leech by testing the novel Swim-Maintenance Model. This model, based on preliminary and published data, proposes that multiple levels of control work in concert to sustain swimming. A novel cell, "OM", has been identified in a caudal midbody ganglion whose sustained excitation prolongs swimming indefinitely. In the caudal brain, several cells have been identified whose inhibition appears to be necessary for prolonged swimming, and whose excitation contributes to swim-termination. Sharp-electrode electrophysiology will be employed to classify the functional, cellular and circuit properties of these novel swim-control neurons. Our detailed knowledge of the cell-to-cell connections in leech swim-networks makes it an excellent system for computer modeling. Experimentally obtained data will be entered into the Neurodynamix II program to test if the Swim- Maintenance Model can, indeed, account for swim-maintenance. Completion of the proposed research will increase our understanding of how nervous systems sustain rhythmic behavior, forming a foundation for research on behavior maintenance in more complex species. Additionally, this proposal will fill an important gap in an otherwise well-characterized leech swim-system that can be used to study other areas such as spike coding, learning and memory, behavioral choice and in designing neuro-prosthetic devices. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Completion of this proposal will elucidate mechanisms that sustain rhythmic behavior, an area that is poorly understood. This information can be applied in designing therapies to treat injured rhythmic systems such as the spinal cord.