Locomotion in a Lower Vertebrate: Studies of the Cellular Basis of Rhythmogenesis and Oscillator Coupling

To test whether the known connectivies of neurons in the lamprey spinal cord are sufficient to account for locomotor rhythmogenesis, a CCconnectionist" neural network simulation was done using identical cells connected according to experimentally established patterns. It was demonstrated that the network oscillates in a stable manner with the same phase relationships among the neurons as observed in the lamprey. The model was then used to explore coupling between identical <?scillators. It was concluded that the neurons can have a dual role as rhythm generators and as coordinators between oscillators to produce the phase relations observed among segmental oscillators during swimming.