Whole-body central processing of lateral line inputs encodes fow direction relative to the center-of-mass.
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| Title: | Whole-body central processing of lateral line inputs encodes fow direction relative to the center-of-mass. |
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| Authors: | Lunsford, Elias T. elias.lunsford@icm-institute.org, Carbo-Tano, Martin, Wyart, Claire claire.wyart@icminstitute.org |
| Source: | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2/17/2026, Vol. 123 Issue 7, p1-12. 26p. |
| Subjects: | Neural codes, Locomotor control, Sensorimotor integration, Afferent pathways, Tactile sensors, Brachydanio, Rhombencephalon |
| Abstract: | From shifting visual scenes to tactile deformations and fuid motion, animals interpret patterns of sensory fow around their body to construct internal models and produce adaptive behavior. Understanding how such transformations are encoded in the brain remains incomplete. To tackle this question, we leverage the lateral line of larval zebrafsh as a tractable system sensitive to fuid motion and used to steer navigation, feed, and avoid predators. By presenting stimuli of either direction to neuromasts along the body, we mapped hindbrain responses via high-resolution calcium imaging. Our fndings challenge the notion that central lateral line processing lacks topographic structure by revealing a simple, yet powerful principle centered on an egocentric spatial framework: the direction and location of local fow motions are encoded in reference to the animal's center-of-mass. Brainstem neurons that encode fow toward the center-of-mass broadly project to form bilateral connections onto reticulospinal neurons that coordinate forward locomotion while those that encode fow away from the center-of-mass displayed a more selective and unilateral projection profle to command neurons eliciting turns. Tis simple representation enables the brain to register complex fow patterns and provides a robust basis for behavioral action selection. Our fnding represents a shift from purely somatotopic encoding toward an integrative representation of axial position and directionality along the horizontal plane combined, revealing a central principle for encoding spatiodirectional cues. Tis study advances our understanding of how complex mechanosensory inputs select appropriate motor outputs via simple egocentric neural maps in the hindbrain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America is the property of National Academy of Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Engineering Source |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 191796906 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Whole-body central processing of lateral line inputs encodes fow direction relative to the center-of-mass. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lunsford%2C+Elias+T%2E%22">Lunsford, Elias T.</searchLink><i> elias.lunsford@icm-institute.org</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Carbo-Tano%2C+Martin%22">Carbo-Tano, Martin</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wyart%2C+Claire%22">Wyart, Claire</searchLink><i> claire.wyart@icminstitute.org</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Proceedings+of+the+National+Academy+of+Sciences+of+the+United+States+of+America%22">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America</searchLink>. 2/17/2026, Vol. 123 Issue 7, p1-12. 26p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Neural+codes%22">Neural codes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Locomotor+control%22">Locomotor control</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sensorimotor+integration%22">Sensorimotor integration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Afferent+pathways%22">Afferent pathways</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Tactile+sensors%22">Tactile sensors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Brachydanio%22">Brachydanio</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rhombencephalon%22">Rhombencephalon</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: From shifting visual scenes to tactile deformations and fuid motion, animals interpret patterns of sensory fow around their body to construct internal models and produce adaptive behavior. Understanding how such transformations are encoded in the brain remains incomplete. To tackle this question, we leverage the lateral line of larval zebrafsh as a tractable system sensitive to fuid motion and used to steer navigation, feed, and avoid predators. By presenting stimuli of either direction to neuromasts along the body, we mapped hindbrain responses via high-resolution calcium imaging. Our fndings challenge the notion that central lateral line processing lacks topographic structure by revealing a simple, yet powerful principle centered on an egocentric spatial framework: the direction and location of local fow motions are encoded in reference to the animal's center-of-mass. Brainstem neurons that encode fow toward the center-of-mass broadly project to form bilateral connections onto reticulospinal neurons that coordinate forward locomotion while those that encode fow away from the center-of-mass displayed a more selective and unilateral projection profle to command neurons eliciting turns. Tis simple representation enables the brain to register complex fow patterns and provides a robust basis for behavioral action selection. Our fnding represents a shift from purely somatotopic encoding toward an integrative representation of axial position and directionality along the horizontal plane combined, revealing a central principle for encoding spatiodirectional cues. Tis study advances our understanding of how complex mechanosensory inputs select appropriate motor outputs via simple egocentric neural maps in the hindbrain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America is the property of National Academy of Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1073/pnas.2515782123 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 26 StartPage: 1 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Neural codes Type: general – SubjectFull: Locomotor control Type: general – SubjectFull: Sensorimotor integration Type: general – SubjectFull: Afferent pathways Type: general – SubjectFull: Tactile sensors Type: general – SubjectFull: Brachydanio Type: general – SubjectFull: Rhombencephalon Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Whole-body central processing of lateral line inputs encodes fow direction relative to the center-of-mass. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Lunsford, Elias T. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Carbo-Tano, Martin – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Wyart, Claire IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 17 M: 02 Text: 2/17/2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00278424 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 123 – Type: issue Value: 7 Titles: – TitleFull: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Type: main |
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