Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

The cortex as a central pattern generator.

Rafael Yuste1, Jason N MacLean, Jeffrey Smith

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, 1212 Amsterdam Avenue, Box 2435, New York 10027, USA. rmy5@columbia.edu

Nature Reviews. Neuroscience
|June 2, 2005
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Connectivity Logic of Dendritic Spines in Cortex: Increased Inputs and Ensemble Formation.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

High-Dose Methotrexate as CNS Prophylaxis in Ultra High-Risk Large B-Cell Lymphoma: An International Multicenter Analysis.

Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology·2026
Same author

Landscape efficiency frontiers for biodiversity, climate mitigation, and net economic value.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same author

VesiclePy: A machine learning vesicle analysis toolbox for volume electron microscopy.

PLoS computational biology·2026
Same author

Synergistic Short-Term Synaptic Plasticity Mechanisms for Working Memory.

Journal of cognitive neuroscience·2026
Same author

Dense and distributed neuropeptide network in the nerve net of Hydra vulgaris.

PLoS computational biology·2026
Same journal

Brain-spleen axis regulates learned fear.

Nature reviews. Neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Acetylcholine: a candidate substrate for hippocampal predictive learning?

Nature reviews. Neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Astrocytes viewed through the lens of their proteomes and subproteomes.

Nature reviews. Neuroscience·2026
Same journal

m<sup>6</sup>A in RNA: a key regulator of brain development, function and disease.

Nature reviews. Neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Non-invasive deep-brain neuromodulation by transcranial radio frequency stimulation.

Nature reviews. Neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Heading into the wild: setting the course to natural neuroscience.

Nature reviews. Neuroscience·2026
See all related articles

Central pattern generator (CPG) circuits in the brainstem and spinal cord show striking similarities to neocortical circuits. This suggests CPG principles may explain neocortical organization and function, even without sensory input.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Computational Neuroscience
  • Systems Neuroscience

Background:

  • Vertebrate spinal cord and brainstem central pattern generator (CPG) circuits exhibit functional similarities to neocortical circuits.
  • CPGs generate functional output independently of sensory input, a characteristic also observed in neocortical circuits.
  • Neocortical circuits possess rich spontaneous dynamics, modulated by sensory inputs but capable of generating output in their absence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the analogy between central pattern generator (CPG) circuits and neocortical circuits.
  • To present evidence supporting the hypothesis that neocortical circuits function analogously to CPGs.
  • To suggest that CPG principles can inform the understanding of cortical circuit organization and dynamics.

Main Methods:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Comparative analysis of anatomical, biophysical, developmental, dynamic, and pathological properties of CPG and neocortical circuits.
  • Review of existing literature on CPGs and neocortical function.
  • Theoretical modeling based on CPG principles applied to cortical circuits.

Main Results:

  • Compelling evidence found for similarities between CPG and neocortical circuits across multiple levels of analysis.
  • Neocortical circuits demonstrate capacity for spontaneous functional output, akin to CPGs.
  • The analogy holds at anatomical, biophysical, developmental, dynamic, and pathological levels.

Conclusions:

  • Neocortical circuits can be viewed as analogous to CPGs, potentially representing a specialized 'learning CPG' type.
  • Understanding CPGs offers a framework for deciphering the fundamental principles of cortical circuit organization and dynamic function.
  • The study posits that CPG knowledge is predictive of basic cortical circuit principles.