The Cellular Basis of a Corollary Discharge
Abstract
How do animals discriminate self-generated from external stimuli during behavior and prevent desensitization of their sensory pathways? A fundamental concept in neuroscience states that neural signals, termed corollary discharges or efference copies, are forwarded from motor to sensory areas. Neurons mediating these signals have proved difficult to identify. We show that a single, multisegmental interneuron is responsible for the pre- and postsynaptic inhibition of auditory neurons in singing crickets ( Gryllus bimaculatus ). Therefore, this neuron represents a corollary discharge interneuron that provides a neuronal basis for the central control of sensory responses.
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In the cricket, a CDI fires nearly simultaneously with wing motor-neuron bursts and exerts a phase-locked inhibitory influence on interneurons of the auditory system.
“Intracellular recordings revealed that the CDI fires nearly simultaneously with wing motor-neuron bursts and exerts a phase-locked inhibitory influence on the interneurons of the auditory system25.”
From Corollary discharge across the animal kingdom (2008) · cites this paper as [25]
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- Authors
- Poulet, J. F. A., & Hedwig, B.
- Affiliations
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Poulet, James F. A.
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 2006-01-27
- Volume
- 311
- Issue
- 5760
- Pages
- 518-522
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W2094037592
- Cited by
- 234
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 36 · 2019: 27 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 3.54
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- MDC Repository (Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (S19133)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Multisensory perception and integration
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
- Keywords
- corollary discharge, efference copy, auditory interneurons, auditory neurons, Gryllus bimaculatus, sensory feedback
- MeSH terms
- Acoustic Stimulation, Action Potentials, Animals, Auditory Pathways, Axons, Dendrites, Flight, Animal, Gryllidae, Interneurons, Male, Motor Neurons, Neural Inhibition, Synaptic Transmission, Neurons, Afferent, Synapses, Vocalization, Animal, Wings, Animal, Ganglia, Invertebrate
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