Hunger for existence: Brain indicator enlightens roundworms on shifting food sources
A groundbreaking study published in the journal Current Biology has shed light on how animals adapt their instinctive responses to changes in their environment. The research, conducted by a team of scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center, focuses on the microscopic roundworm C. elegans.
Led by Douglas Portman, Ph.D., professor of Biomedical Genetics, and co-authored by Jintao Luo, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Rochester, the study investigates the brain's response to survival-related instinct changes.
C. elegans hermaphrodites produce a pheromone to monitor food availability and crowd levels in their environment. When food becomes scarce, this worm triggers an aversion circuit in response, causing it to be repelled by the pheromone. Interestingly, males of C. elegans are attracted to the pheromone, despite the repulsive mechanism present in both sexes. However, this attraction is overridden by another circuit, providing insights into the neural circuits that cause changes in behavior.
The study identifies a molecular mechanism that allows an instinctive response to be suppressed under certain environmental conditions, such as abundant food. This finding offers valuable insights into understanding more complex brains and behavioral disorders.
The research, supported by funding from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, also provides insights into the mechanisms by which animals detect and integrate multiple sensory cues to make adaptive behavioral decisions.
This study builds upon previous work by John Sulston and Sydney Brenner, who used C. elegans to study animal behavior and instinct changes in survival. The findings of the study could help in understanding the brain's response to changes in instincts in various species.
In essence, the study underscores the adaptive flexibility of an animal's instinctive response under certain environmental conditions. By understanding basic decision-making mechanisms at the molecular level, we can gain a framework for understanding more complex brains and behavioral disorders.
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