Reduction of sensory activity produced by cercal displacement modifies response of wind-sensitive interneurons in the cockroach

The cockroach can reduce the amount of sensory activity received by its CNS from the cerci, paired wind-responsive appendages. This reduction is produced by medial displacement of the cerci, a movement the animal performs naturally during flying. We demonstrate here that this sensory reduction significantly reduces activity of the postsynaptic wind-sensitive interneurons in the abdominal nerve cord, cells which carry the wind information to higher centers of the nervous system. In addition, we have found that the wind-evoked activity of two identified giant interneurons that are involved in escape and locomotion behaviors, is significantly reduced by cercal displacement.