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Journal of Experimental Biology 96,325-341 (1982)
Published by Company of Biologists 1982

The Physiology and Morphology of Median Nerve Motor Neurones in the Thoracic Ganglia of the Locust

MALCOLM BURROWS ¹

¹ Department of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, England

Simultaneous intracellular recordings have been made from the two expiratory, and from the two inspiratory motor neurones which have their axons in the unpaired median nerves of the thoracic ganglia. Each motor neurone has an axon that branches to innervate muscles on the left and on the right side of one segment.

The expiratory neurones studied were those in the meso- and meta-thoracic ganglia which innervate spiracular closer muscles. The depolarizing synaptic potentials underlying the spikes during expiration are common to the two closer motor neurones in a particular segment. Similarly, during inspiration when there are usually no spikes, the hyperpolarizing, inhibitory potentials are also common to both motor neurones. The synaptic input to the neurones can be derived from four interneurones; two responsible for the depolarizing potentials during expiration and two for the inhibitory potentials during inspiration.

The inspiratory neurones studied were those in the abdominal ganglia fused to the metathoracic ganglion which innervate dorso-ventral abdominal muscles. During inspiration the two motor neurones of one segment spike at a similar and steady frequency. The underlying synaptic input to the two is common. During expiration, when there are usually no spikes, the hyperpolarizing synaptic potentials are also common to both neurones. In addition they match exactly the depolarizing potentials occurring at the same time in the closer motor neurones. The same set of interneurones could be responsible.

No evidence has been revealed to indicate that the two closer, or the two inspiratory motor neurones of one segment are directly coupled by electrical or chemical synapses.

The morphology of both types of motor neurone is distinct from that of other motor neurones in these ganglia. Both types branch extensively in both the left and in the right areas of the neuropile.