Journal of Comparative Physiology A

, Volume 201, Issue 9, pp 841–850 | Cite as

Sensory feedback in cockroach locomotion: current knowledge and open questions

  • A. Ayali
  • E. Couzin-Fuchs
  • I. David
  • O. Gal
  • P. Holmes
  • D. Knebel
Review
First Online:
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:

Abstract

The American cockroach, Periplaneta americana, provides a successful model for the study of legged locomotion. Sensory regulation and the relative importance of sensory feedback vs. central control in animal locomotion are key aspects in our understanding of locomotive behavior. Here we introduce the cockroach model and describe the basic characteristics of the neural generation and control of walking and running in this insect. We further provide a brief overview of some recent studies, including mathematical modeling, which have contributed to our knowledge of sensory control in cockroach locomotion. We focus on two sensory mechanisms and sense organs, those providing information related to loading and unloading of the body and the legs, and leg-movement-related sensory receptors, and present evidence for the instrumental role of these sensory signals in inter-leg locomotion control. We conclude by identifying important open questions and indicate future perspectives.

Keywords

Periplaneta americana Proprioception Campaniform sensilla Chordotonal organ Feedback control 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by BSF grant No. 2011059 (AA and PH), and by NSF-CRCNS DMS-1430077 and Princeton University under the J. Insley Blair Pyne Fund (EC-F and PH).

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014

Authors and Affiliations

  • A. Ayali
    • 1
    • 2
  • E. Couzin-Fuchs
    • 1
    • 3
  • I. David
    • 1
  • O. Gal
    • 1
  • P. Holmes
    • 3
    • 4
  • D. Knebel
    • 1
    • 2
  1. 1.Department of ZoologyTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
  2. 2.Sagol School of NeuroscienceTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
  3. 3.Department of Mechanical and Aerospace EngineeringPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUSA
  4. 4.Program in Applied and Computational Mathematics and Princeton Neuroscience InstitutePrinceton UniversityPrincetonUSA

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