Nature: Connectome simulations identify a three-neuron circuit generating fly walking rhythms
patrickmineault · x · 2026-11-03
A Nature paper uses dynamic simulations of the Drosophila ventral nerve cord connectome to locate the central pattern generator (CPG) for walking.
- A computational activation screen found DNg100, a known command neuron for walking, to be the strongest driver of rhythmic leg motor activity.
- Network pruning isolated a minimal rhythm circuit of one inhibitory and two excitatory interneurons — necessary and sufficient for motor rhythms across all six legs and across four connectome datasets.
- First identification of a walking CPG's circuit structure in any animal, with implications for neuroscience and robot locomotion.
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