From owner-celegans@net.bio.net Sun Jul 21 23:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!sdcc12.ucsd.edu!golgi!jstrout From: Joseph Strout Newsgroups: bionet.celegans Subject: examples of training Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1996 11:24:45 -0700 Organization: University of California, San Diego Lines: 23 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: golgi.ucsd.edu Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII X-Sender: jstrout@golgi I understand that C. elegans exhibits simple forms of learning, but I haven't seen any details. Could someone please tell me if the following would be possible: Two groups of genetically identical nematodes are raised under different conditions. For one group, a bright light at one end of the habitat is associated with food, and the worms learn to wriggle towards the light. For the other group, the light is always paired with a noxious chemical, and the worms learn to wriggle away. I realize that nematodes don't have eyes, but I've read that they can respond to light. Would the above demonstration work? If not, could you suggest something more realistic? I'm looking for a clear demonstation of learning that laypeople could understand. Many thanks, Joe Strout ,------------------------------------------------------------------. | Joseph J. Strout Department of Neuroscience, UCSD | | jstrout@ucsd.edu http://www-acs.ucsd.edu/~jstrout/ | `------------------------------------------------------------------' .