Salil Bidaye @salilbidaye.bsky.social · 04/05/2026Most importantly, we used a kinematics-guided connectome search to isolate candidate circuits. We found leg-specific CPGs and inter-leg coupling motifs to explain the kinematics data. Check the preprint for these cool motifs too heavy for uploading. Here's one motif for let-right alternation. 100
Salil Bidaye @salilbidaye.bsky.social · 04/05/2026We could also find ways to slow down and speed up the stepping rhythm (co-activate multiple DNs!) and in doing so ended up discovering a new mechanism for acceleration which for obvious reasons we call as a front-wheel-drive (FWD) mechanism. 100
Salil Bidaye @salilbidaye.bsky.social · 04/05/2026We then looked at inter-leg coordination. Remarkably DNg100 drove the 6 legs to step with amazing inter-leg coordination. See the tripod like stepping even in highly proprioception deficient animals (headless fly with tiny stumps for legs!). Other neurons like MDN do not drive inter-leg coupling! 110
Salil Bidaye @salilbidaye.bsky.social · 04/05/20263D leg kinematics allows us to analyze the nitty-gritties of every stepping leg and we could see how proprioception shapes centrally generated smooth sinusoidal-like kinematics into structured “real-steps” with a stance and swing period. 120
Salil Bidaye @salilbidaye.bsky.social · 04/05/2026Here’s our latest preprint on uncovering neural control of a coordinated walking pattern! doi.org/10.64898/202... (author-list jumbled, see pdf for corrected). Video shows the central paradigm in this study, we optogenetically induce walking in headless flies and sequentially reduce proprioception. 12811