Processing of tactile information in neuronal networks controlling leg movements of the Locust

The successful, coordinated, posture and locomotion of any animal requires a precise and continuous adjustment of limb movements by sensory feedback from extero- and proprioceptors associated with the legs. We here review the recent advances in our understanding of how specific local adjustments of the hind legs of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, are made in response to tactile signals from two different classes of exteroceptor on a leg. The aim is to understand particular features of the organization of neuronal networks and how different types of constituent interneurones contribute to the processing of sensory signals. This information can then be used to define the design principles that govern the organization of sensory-motor networks.