Abstract
Stimulation of the spinal cord of the electric fishGymnotus carapo, evoked an abrupt increase in the discharge rate of the electric organ. At the maximum of this response, the rate increased an average of 26 ± 11.8%. The duration of the response was 4.9 ± 2.12 s; its latency was 10.4 ± 1.1 ms. Activation of the Mauthner axon played a decisive role in this phenomenon as indicated by the following: (1) recordings from the axon cap of the Mauthner cell demonstrated that the response was evoked if the Mauthner axon was antidromically activated and (2) a response that was similar to that produced by spinal cord stimulation, was elicited by intracellular stimulation of either Mauthner cell. Stimulation of the eighth nerve could also increase the discharge rate of the electric organ. The effect was greater if a Mauthner cell action potential was elicited. The findings described in the present report, indicate the existence of a functional connection between the Mauthner cell and the electromotor system inGymnotus carapo. This connection may function to enhance the electrolocative sampling of the environment during Mauthner-cell mediated behaviors. This is a novel function for the Mauthner cell.
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Abbreviations
- EHP :
-
extrinsic hyperpolarizing potential
- EOD :
-
electric organ discharge
- M-AIR :
-
Mauthner initiated abrupt increase in rate
- M-cell :
-
Mauthner cell
- M-axon :
-
Mauthner axon
- PM :
-
pacemaker nucleus
- PM-cell :
-
pacemaker cell
- PPn :
-
prepacemaker nucleus
- SPPn :
-
sublemniscal prepacemaker nucleus
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Falconi, A., Borde, M., Hernández-Cruz, A. et al. Mauthner cell-initiated abrupt increase of the electric organ discharge in the weakly electric fishGymnotus carapo . J Comp Physiol A 176, 679–689 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01021588
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01021588