In the nervous systems of all animals the neurons produce electrical patterns which signal the next cell about an event. This type of communication is well documented and is still under study. Central pattern generators are known to be responsible for the production of most motor movements. In the last few years, the notion of the central pattern generator as an autonomous network producing stereotyped outputs has given way to a much more complex view. Central pattern generators are multifunctional; that is, a given network of neurons can be reorganized to produce a different pattern of activity. Dr. Hillel Chiel is doing research to understand the cellular and synaptic basis of pattern generation in neural networks. His research will entail (1) identifying interneurons involved in the feeding central pattern generator of an invertebrate, (2) analyzing their intrinsic biophysical properties and their synaptic connections in culture, and (3) reconstructing a part of the network in culture. This work is important because it will give us new knowledge about the way nerve cells communicate with each other.
