Optimal searching behaviour generated intrinsically by the central pattern generator for locomotion

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Abstract

Efficient searching for resources such as food by animals is key to their survival. It has been proposed that diverse animals from insects to sharks and humans adopt searching patterns that resemble a simple Lévy random walk, which is theoretically optimal for 'blind foragers' to locate sparse, patchy resources. To test if such patterns are generated intrinsically, or arise via environmental interactions, we tracked free-moving Drosophila larvae with (and without) blocked synaptic activity in the brain, suboesophageal ganglion (SOG) and sensory neurons. In brain-blocked larvae we found that extended substrate exploration emerges as multi-scale movement paths similar to truncated Lévy walks. Strikingly, power-law exponents of brain/SOG/sensory-blocked larvae averaged 1.96, close to a theoretical optimum (µ ≅ 2.0) for locating sparse resources. Thus, efficient spatial exploration can emerge from autonomous patterns in neural activity. Our results provide the strongest evidence so far for the intrinsic generation of Lévy-like movement patterns.

Data availability

All data generated and analysed in this study are available in Dryad (doi: 10.5061/dryad.7m0cfxpq0). Results from analysis are also included in the manuscript and supporting files.

The following data sets were generated

1. Sims DW
2. Humphries NE
3. Hu N
4. Medan V
5. Berni J
(2019) Data from: Optimal searching behaviour generated intrinsically by the central pattern generator for locomotion
Dryad Digital Repository, doi:10.5061/dryad.7m0cfxpq0.

http://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.7m0cfxpq0

Article and author information

Author details

David W Sims

Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, Plymouth, United Kingdom

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Nicolas E Humphries

Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, Plymouth, United Kingdom

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Nan Hu

Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Violeta Medan

Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Jimena Berni

Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom

For correspondence
jb672@cam.ac.uk

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

"This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0002-5068-1372

Funding

Wellcome (105568/Z/14/Z)

Jimena Berni

Royal Society (105568/Z/14/Z)

Jimena Berni

Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (PICT 20121578)

Violeta Medan

Natural Environment Research Council (Oceans 2025 Strategic Research Programme)

David W Sims

Marine Biological Association (Senior Research Fellowship)

David W Sims

The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.

Copyright

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.