Scientists Explain How a Single Brain Cell Controls This Animals Foraging Habits

Neuroscientists have developed a computer model to explain the foraging habits and instincts of the nematode worm. The study found that the whole strategy behind foraging comes from one brain cell.

Source: Iowa PBS/Youtube

The scientists found that the nematode worm had a complex and sophisticated way of making decisions regarding food. They use the environment around them to drive better decision-making when it comes to where to forage and foraging habits. Research shows that these worms had two taste cells. One to indicate an increase in salt, meaning food was nearby, or a decrease in salt, meaning that there was not any food close by.

Professor Cohen, said, “When a nematode first senses a salty environment, the sensory cell that is sensitive to increasing salt concentrations is stimulated – and provides all the information the animal needs to steer into the salt patch.”  

What was once thought of as a response to environmental dangers around them was just the worm following the taste of salt nearby. They use this complex method to find food more effectively rather than blindly trying to look for it.

Professor Cohen said, “We think this is a mechanism built into these sensory cells. Not only is it remarkably effective, but surprisingly, because it all takes place inside the sensors, it is very easy to implement with the basic toolkit that nearly all brain cells have at their disposal. While C. elegans may use salt cues to forage for food, we suspect similar mechanisms may be used by other animals to selectively attend to other cues or features of the environment.” 

This research is very enlightening and shows how little we truly know about most species indicating that many species could be far more complex than ever suspected.

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