Task specificity of local load feedback depends on intersegmental information in an insect walking system

Proprioceptive feedback needs to be processed in a task-dependent manner to serve its function, for example, when the leg kinematics change to generate different behaviors. We show for forward and backward stepping that load signals initiate and maintain the activity of the functional stance phase motor neuron pool and that intersegmental signals about stepping of the neighboring legs are relevant for the task-specific processing of load feedback.