Neurons form networks that generate motor behavior. The 41 speakers of the 1995 International Conference on NEURONS, NETWORKS, AND MOTOR BEHAVIOR in Tucson will focus on cellular, network, and behavioral levels of organization. At the cellular level, speakers will describe the computational characteristics of individual neurons and how these characteristics can be modified by neuromodulators. At the network and the behavioral levels, speakers will discuss how network structure is dynamically modulated to produce adaptive behavior. Recent advances in our understanding of the complex coordination of motor output generated during a variety of motor behaviors relies upon our detailed knowledge of the characteristics of the neurons and networks that generate these motor behaviors. An emerging principle of organization is that the nervous system is remarkably efficient in the construction of neural networks. New results point to remarkable multitasking of networks of neurons generating motor behavior. Grillner, Stein, and Stuart were co-organizers of two previous conferences and co-editors of conference volumes that were major influences on the field: the 1985 Stockholm meeting and the 1975 Valley Forge meeting. Selverston has credited several major volumes. The organizers anticipate that the 1995 Tucson meeting will allow important new Concepts to be presented to a diverse audience of 300-400 expected attendees. Stuart of the University of Arizona is taking primary responsibility for the local arrangements of the meeting. The meeting is structured to allow maximal interaction between speakers and attendees. The poster area will be set up next to the lecture theater; there will be dedicated time to poster viewing and as well as coffee breaks served in the poster area. Speakers, chairs, and attendees will share meals together; the cost of meals will be included in a modest registration fee. Excellent rates for hotels have been arranged. The end of the meeting is timed to allow attendees to fly to San Diego for the Saturday registration day for the 1995 Society for Neuroscience Meeting. This meeting will be open to all interested and will be advertised widely in the 1995 program of the Society for Neuroscience as well as in mailings and calendars with international distributions. Stein will be chief editor of the symposium volume published by MIT Press and the other co-organizers will be co- editors. Most chapters will be co-authored by several speakers charged to overview a wide area of the field. We expect that the symposium and its volume will have a major impact on the field and will be of interest to a diverse group of scientists including those with basic research interests in neuroscience, neural networks, behavior, computational neuroscience, robotics, as well as those studying movement disorders, and those in prosthetic design with applied interests in working with humans with impaired motor behaviors.
