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Journal of Experimental Biology 77,71-88 (1978)
Published by Company of Biologists 1978

Initiation, Maintenance and Modulation of Swimming in the Medicinal Leech by the Activity of a Single Neurone

JAMS C. WEEKS ¹ and WILLIAM B. KRISTAN JR. ¹

¹ Department of Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093

A neurone (designated cell 204) has been identified in the segmental ganglia of the leech which, when stimulated intracellularly in isolated nerve cords, reliably initiates and maintains the neuronal activity pattern characteristic of swimming. In a minimally dissected leech, cell 204 activity results in normal swimming movements.

Cell 204 is an unpaired, intersegmental interneurone which is present in most, if not all, of the segmental ganglia. Horseradish peroxidase injections indicate that cell 204 has extensive arborizations in its own ganglion and sends an axon both anteriorly and posteriorly via Faivre's Nerve.

Cell 204 is normally quiescent, but during swimming activity becomes depolarized and produces impulse bursts in the ventral contraction phase of its own segment. Such activity is observed in every cell 204 in the nerve cord and is independent of the stimulus used to evoke the swimming episode.

Activity in any cell 204 is sufficient for initiation and maintenance of swimming activity, whereas activity in any two of them is not necessary for swimming.

During swimming activity, imposed increases in the impulse frequency of any cell 204 cause a decrease in the swim cycle period of the entire nerve cord.

Tactile stimulation of the skin, which is an effective method of eliciting swimming episodes, excites cell 204.

Our findings indicate that cell 204 may activate swimming in the intact leech.

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