Central nervous system physiology of electroreception, a review

There are several reasons why one can expect that the study of electric fish may prove instructive about general mechanisms of sensory processing and neuronal integration. These reasons include the following: the simplicity of the electrical signals which are the normal input and output; the availability of a variety of stereotyped behaviors to characterize the system as a whole; the case with which individual receptors or primary afferents can be activated; the demonstrated presence of corollary discharge and reafference mechanisms for motor control over sensory input; the presence of highly specialized CNS structures which have evolved to meet the unusual demands of the electrosensory system. Work relating to these and other aspects of the electrosensory systems is discussed with an emphasis on the potential which these systems offer.