Activation of Mauthner neurons during prey capture.

The Mauthner (M-) cells, a bilateral pair of medullary neurons in fish, initiate the characteristic 'C-start' predatory escape response of teleosts. Similar movements have been described during hatching, social interactions, and feeding. M-cell firing, however, has not been correlated directly with these other behaviors. The objective of this study was to determine whether the M-cell, in addition to escape, plays a role in feeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]