Adaptive locomotor behavior in larval zebrafish
Open accessAbstract
In this study we report that larval zebrafish display adaptive locomotor output that can be driven by unexpected visual feedback. We develop a new assay that addresses visuomotor integration in restrained larval zebrafish. The assay involves a closed-loop environment in which the visual feedback a larva receives depends on its own motor output in a way that resembles freely swimming conditions. The experimenter can control the gain of this closed feedback loop, so that following a given motor output the larva experiences more or less visual feedback depending on whether the gain is high or low. We show that increases and decreases in this gain setting result in adaptive changes in behavior that lead to a generalized decrease or increase of motor output, respectively. Our behavioral analysis shows that both the duration and tail beat frequency of individual swim bouts can be modified, as well as the frequency with which bouts are elicited. These changes can be implemented rapidly, following an exposure to a new gain of just 175 ms. In addition, modifications in some behavioral parameters accumulate over tens of seconds and effects last for at least 30 s from trial to trial. These results suggest that larvae establish an internal representation of the visual feedback expected from a given motor output and that the behavioral modifications are driven by an error signal that arises from the discrepancy between this expectation and the actual visual feedback. The assay we develop presents a unique possibility for studying visuomotor integration using imaging techniques available in the larval zebrafish.
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This recruitment pattern matches behavior in a restrained motor learning assay in which larvae adjusted output when it did not match expectation.
“This phenomenon was consistent with behavioral responses in a restrained motor learning assay, where larvae adjusted their motor output if it did not match their expectation (Ahrens et al., 2012; Portugues and Engert, 2011).”
From Neural control and modulation of swimming speed in the larval zebrafish (2014) · cites this paper as Portugues and Engert, 2011
The Abstract and Discussion report that restrained larvae changed their motor output in response to altered visual feedback. But the Discussion presents a mismatch between expected and actual feedback as a possible explanation, not an established cause of those adjustments. (LLM, conf=0.84)
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References 28 · Cited by 119
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- Carey M. R. Lisberger S. G. (2002). Embarassed, but not depressed: eye opening lessons for cerebellar learning. Neuron 35, 223– 226 10.1016/S0896-6273(02)00771-7 12160741 · DOI
- Authors
- Portugues, R., & Engert, F.
- Affiliations
- Harvard University (US)
- ORCID
- Engert, Florian
- Venue
- Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media SA
- Published
- 2011
- Volume
- 5
- Pages
- 72-72
- ISSN
- 1662-5137 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3163830
- OpenAlex
- W2114587455
- Semantic Scholar
- 2dd45435ad3329d26bd4939c38a9054c9c912cd8
- Cited by
- 119
- References
- 28
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 3.09
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) (Harvard University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Motor Control and Adaptation
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Zebrafish Biomedical Research Applications
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
- Keywords
- zebrafish larvae, locomotor behavior, visual-motor integration, adaptive behavior, error signal, internal representations, tail beat frequency, behavioral plasticity, motor output
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