Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are rapidly gaining popularity in translational neuroscience and
behavioral research. Physiological similarity to mammals, ease of genetic manipulations …

The spinal cord is home to the intrinsic networks for locomotion. An animal in which the
spinal cord has been fully severed from the brain can still produce rhythmic, patterned …

When a behavior repeatedly fails to achieve its goal, animals often give up and become
passive, which can be strategic for preserving energy or regrou** between attempts. It is …

In the absence of salient sensory cues to guide behavior, animals must still execute
sequences of motor actions in order to forage and explore. How such successive motor …

An important concept in ethology is that complex behaviors can be constructed from a set of
basic motor patterns. Identifying the set of patterns available to an animal is key to making …

Locomotion relies on neural networks called central pattern generators (CPGs) that
generate periodic motor commands for rhythmic movements. In vertebrates, the excitatory …

Escape is one of the most studied animal behaviors, and there is a rich normative theory that
links threat properties to evasive actions and their timing. The behavioral principles of …

Many animals are capable of changing gait with speed of locomotion. The neural basis of
gait control and its dependence on speed are not fully understood. Mice normally use a …

Central Pattern Generator (CPG) networks, which organize rhythmic movements, have long
served as models for neural network organization. Modulatory inputs are essential …

A central goal of modern neuroscience is to obtain a mechanistic understanding of higher
brain functions under healthy and diseased conditions. Addressing this challenge requires …