Optimal searching behaviour generated intrinsically by the central pattern generator for locomotion.
Elife
; 82019 11 01.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31674911
ABSTRACT
Efficient searching for resources such as food by animals is key to their survival. It has been proposed that diverse animals from insects to sharks and humans adopt searching patterns that resemble a simple Lévy random walk, which is theoretically optimal for 'blind foragers' to locate sparse, patchy resources. To test if such patterns are generated intrinsically, or arise via environmental interactions, we tracked free-moving Drosophila larvae with (and without) blocked synaptic activity in the brain, suboesophageal ganglion (SOG) and sensory neurons. In brain-blocked larvae, we found that extended substrate exploration emerges as multi-scale movement paths similar to truncated Lévy walks. Strikingly, power-law exponents of brain/SOG/sensory-blocked larvae averaged 1.96, close to a theoretical optimum (µ â
2.0) for locating sparse resources. Thus, efficient spatial exploration can emerge from autonomous patterns in neural activity. Our results provide the strongest evidence so far for the intrinsic generation of Lévy-like movement patterns.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Conducta Apetitiva
/
Drosophila melanogaster
/
Generadores de Patrones Centrales
/
Locomoción
Límite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Elife
Año:
2019
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Reino Unido