The synaptic drive of central pattern-generating networks to leg motor neurons of a walking insect is motor neuron pool specific.

Rhythmic locomotor activity, such as flying, swimming, or walking, results from an interplay between higher-order centers in the central nervous system, which initiate, maintain, and modify task-specific motor activity, downstream central pattern-generating neural circuits (CPGs) that can generate a default rhythmic motor output, and, finally, feedback from sense organs that modify basic motor activity toward functionality. In this context, CPGs provide phasic synaptic drive to motor neurons (MNs) and thereby support the generation of rhythmic activity for locomotion. We analyzed the synaptic drive that the leg MNs supplying the three main leg joints receive from CPGs in pharmacologically activated and deafferented preparations of the stick insect (Carausius morosus). We show that premotor CPGs pattern the tonic activity of five of the six leg MN pools by phasic inhibitory synaptic drive. These are the antagonistic MN pools supplying the thoraco-coxal joint and the femur-tibial joint and the levator MN pool supplying the coxa-trochanteral (CTr) joint. In contrast, rhythmic activity of the depressor MN pool supplying the CTr joint was found to be primarily based on a phasic excitatory drive. This difference is likely related to the pivotal role of the depressor muscle in generating leg stance during any walking situation. Thus, our results provide evidence for qualitatively differing mechanisms to generate rhythmic activity between MN pools in the same locomotor system.