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Turning in an insect is the combined result of body-side-specific modifications in processing of local sensory feedback, and modification of local central pattern generator activity.

A genetic analysis has identified the cholinergic SIA sublateral motor neurons, which innervate all four body wall muscles separately, as crucial regulators of turning around during sleep in Caenorhabditis elegans.

By demonstrating song learning-related synaptic strengthening and pruning in the vocal control circuits of songbirds, and showing how such changes can reduce the sensitivity of the circuit to ‘noisy’ inputs, a simple neural circuit mechanism for regulating motor variability during motor skill learning is identified.

Somatosensory feedback is transmitted to many sensory and motor cortical regions within 25 milliseconds and ongoing behavioural tasks alter the spatiotemporal pattern of this perturbation-related activity, supporting rapid motor responses to attain behavioural goals.

A novel motor task reveals the principle of how the motor system coordinates the redundant body for motor adaptation.

Structural analysis of the kinesin-13 MCAK bound to its C-terminal tail reveals the molecular basis for the conformation of kinesin-13 in solution and the mechanism that triggers long-range conformational changes upon microtubule binding.

The neuroanatomical and functional analysis of genetically-identified motoneurons controlling all major steps of Drosophila proboscis extension provides new insights into the architecture of a motor circuitry controlling a reaching-like behavior.

Motor neurons controlling the leg of the fruit fly exhibit a gradient of physiological and functional properties that correlate with the order in which they fire during behavior.

The signaling molecule Frizzled3 plays a part in the development of the nervous system by controlling the ability of motor neurons to form connections with distant target muscles.

Vertebrate superfast muscles employ similar excitation–contraction strategies but distinct myosin heavy chain genes to allow superfast performance, revealing a maximum speed that cannot be overcome without sacrificing neural control.