Response-dedicated trigger neurons as control points for behavioral actions: selective inhibition of lateral giant command neurons during feeding in crayfish.

Feeding behavior suppresses lateral giant neuron-mediated escape behavior in crayfish. The suppression appears to result from reduced transmission to the lateral giants from primary afferents and/or sensory interneurons, while the operation of sensory and motor networks themselves is unaffected. It is suggested that control occurs at the level of the lateral giants because these neurons are pivotal in, and dedicated solely to, producing the type of escape that needs to be controlled. It is hypothesized that response-dedicated sets of neurons that play a similar role will probably be found wherever it is necessary to control particular responses selectively.