Modeling control of roll-plane body orientation in lamprey

A phenomenological model of the mechanism of stabilization of the dorsal-si de-up orientation in the lamprey is suggested. Mathematical modeling is bas ed on the experimental results on investigation of postural control in lamp reys using combined in vivo and robotics approaches. Dynamics of the model agrees qualitatively with the experiment. It is shown by computer simulatio ns that postural correction commands from one or several reticulospinal neu rons provide information which may be sufficient for stabilization of body orientation in the lamprey. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reser ved.