Repetitive movements such as chewing, walking, and swimming, which are done relatively unconsciously, are controlled by groups of connected nerve cells known as central pattern generators (CPG). The subject of this award to Dr. Peter Rowat will be modeling of a CPG which controls buccal movements in an invertebrate; this system has been studied extensively over the past two decades and a large amount of experimental data are available that can be used for modeling the underlying mechanisms of this CPG. To investigate these mechanisms, simplified, but biologically relevant, mathematical models will be developed; the output of these models will then be compared with the experimentally observed CPG output. The influence of neuromodulatory substances on the model will be tested. Prediction of the most important biological components of this CPG can be made by varying the strengths of components of the model in computer simulations and by mathematical analysis. This research will contribute to understanding the way in which repetitive movements are controlled by the central nervous system.
