© 2007 Alzheimer's Association
Caenorhabditis elegans
With a circuitry of 302 invariant neurons, a quick generation time and a plethora of genetic tools, C.elegans is an ideal model system for studying the interplay amoung genes, neurons, circuits and behaviour. At this context the study of behavioral genetics in C.elegans, an organism with a nervous system small enough to allow the role of every neuron in a given behaviour that has been known, given researchers unique insights into how genes contribute to behaviour in general.
Much of the cellular mechanism used by C.elegans to apply methods is homologous is compared to those in other organisms; similar to other organisms, C.elegans uses Acethlycholine, GABA, glutamate, serotonin, dopamine and neuropeptides as neurotransmitters for synaptic communication.
Research of the nervous system of C.elegans has already given important assistance to the understanding of the nervous-system function in all organisms.
Does C. elegans exhibit behaviours that would be applied as mood disorders?
Can worms be depressed?
C.elegans shows various behaviours that can be studied at behavioral, neuronal and genetic levels. As it shows C.elegans is an excellent system in which to examine the genetics of many basic types of behaviour, such as foraging, feeding, movement, egg laying, male mating behaviour, sensory responses to touch, smell, taste and temperature, as well as simple forms of learning.
