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Feedback control in active sensing: rat exploratory whisking is modulated by environmental contact
Ben Mitchinson1, Chris J Martin, Robyn A Grant
1Department of Psychology, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|March 3, 2007
Summary
Rats actively control their facial whiskers to enhance tactile sensing. Contact with objects modifies whisker movements, reducing motion on the contact side and increasing it on the other.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sensory Biology
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Whiskers are crucial for tactile sensory information in rats.
- Neural processing of whisker signals is a model for general sensing.
- Limited knowledge exists on natural whisker-object contact circumstances.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of whisker-object contact on whisking behavior in freely moving rats.
- To understand how natural exploration influences whisker movements and sensory input.
Main Methods:
- Digital video tracking of rat movements.
- Wireless recording of mystacial electromyogram (EMG) signals.
- Observation of rats exploring simple environments with potential for whisker contact.
Main Results:
- Whisker-object contact caused reduced forward whisker motion (protraction) ipsilateral to the obstruction.
- Contralateral whisker protraction increased following contact.
- These motor adjustments occurred rapidly, within the same whisk cycle as initial contact.
Conclusions:
- Whisker movements are actively controlled to promote environmental contact.
- Active control ensures interactions are gentle, optimizing tactile signal quality.
- Whisking pattern generation is under feedback control, impacting upstream neural processing.
