Date: Monday Dec 15th, 2025

Time: 2-4 pm

Venue: Singleton Auditorium (46-3002), Building 46

Zoom Meeting ID: 249 799 4785
https://mit.zoom.us/j/2497994785?omn=94275863132

Title: State-dependent properties of brain-wide activity in freely behaving C. elegans

Abstract: To thrive in changing conditions, animals need to optimize their survival strategy based on the availability of resources, their recent experience, and internal needs. Such a rich behavioral repertoire suggests the presence of highly flexible neural substrates. The dynamic foraging behavior of the nematode C. elegans provides an attractive system to examine such properties of global brain dynamics. In the presence of abundant nutrients, a serotonergic and interoceptive neuron promotes the transition from roaming to dwelling by transmitting to multiple locomotion and pharyngeal circuits. In the face of progressive starvation or fluctuating sensory environments, a small set of genetically defined neuron classes modify their activity pattern and representation of behavioral information, suggesting a state-dependent remapping of neural encoding. Together, the dynamic properties of neural activity reflect a flexible internal representation of the environment, internal condition, and motor outputs. This work seeks to dissect these properties at the level of genetically defined neuron classes to inform future interrogations of this compact nervous system.