Multisensory strategies for postural compensation after lateral line loss

Abstract

To control elevation underwater, aquatic vertebrates integrate multisensory information (e.g., vestibular, visual, proprioceptive) to guide posture and swim kinematics. Here we characterized how larval zebrafish changed posture and locomotive strategies after imposed instability (decreased buoyancy) in the presence and absence of visual cues. We discovered that larvae sank more after acute loss of lateral line (flow-sensing) hair cells. In response, larvae engaged different compensatory strategies, depending on whether they were in the light or dark. In the dark, larvae swam more frequently, engaging their trunk to steer their nose up and climb more effectively. However, in the light, larvae climbed more often, engaging both pectoral fins and trunk to elevate. We conclude that larvae sense instability and use vestibular and visual information as available to control posture and trajectory. Our work is a step towards understanding the multisensory neural computations responsible for control strategies that allow orientation and navigation in depth.