Division of labor in the fish brain – how a group of neurons control swim direction

Research report (imported) 2013 - Max-Planck-Institut für Neurobiologie

Authors
Helmbrecht, Thomas; Thiele, Tod; Baier, Herwig
Departments
Gene - Schaltkreise - Verhalten (Herwig Baier)
Summary
How does a fish steer its swim direction? Use of newly developed methods, including optogenetics and imaging, are beginning to yield neurobiological insights into this question. Scientists have now discovered that a part of the so-called reticular formation in the brainstem is employed as a “cockpit” for steering the tail. The steering function is carried out by a small group of just 15 nerve cells in this control center. The human brain controls body movements also through the reticular formation and presumably employs computational mechanisms similar to those of the fish.

For the full text, see the German version.

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