Modulation of wind sensitivity in thoracic interneurons during cricket escape behavior

Escape reactions in many orthopteran insects can readily be evoked by wind puffs directed to the cerci, paired abdominal appendages with sensilla specialized for the detection of air turbulences. The axons of these sensilla project into the terminal ganglion exciting a set of giant fibers which transmit sensory information to the thoracic motor centers. In this study we present intracellular registrations from interneurons recorded during wind-evoked escape runs in crickets that allow a functional characterization of identifiable wind-sensitive cells at the thoracic level. By monitoring the neural activity pattern in these cells we show that their responsiveness is continuously regulated according to the specific walking mode during escape. This dynamic control of sensory responsiveness can be interpreted as a method to help the animal avoid habituation effects caused by self-stimulation during walking.