Phasic coordination between locomotor and respiratory rhythms in Lymnaea. Real behavior and computer simulation

In the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis, a firm phase-locked coupling of pneumostome movements to the locomotor cycle was observed during terrestrial locomotion, thus demonstrating that the coordination between locomotor and respiratory rhythms is a natural behavioral event in this animal. The results of computational modelling suggest a possible scheme of coordination between these motor rhythms which is based on inhibitory projection from the central pattern generator for locomotion to that for respiration. These findings allow the neuronal mechanisms underlying coordination of two rhythmic behaviors to be investigated.