Student Work

BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS OF THE NEURAL ESCAPE CIRCUIT AND DOPAMINE FOOD SENSING

Public

Downloadable Content

open in viewer

In this project, the locomotion of C. elegans was artificially modulated by inducing dopamine release and inhibiting backward locomotion. Using optogenetics, worms were observed yielding the following results: halorhodopsin inhibits backward locomotion; dopamine slows the nematode's locomotory rate; despite lacking a dopamine transporter, worms do not paralyze in the presence of excess dopamine expression. Based on these results, the following conclusions were made: the AVA neuron plays a major role in C. elegans ability to move backwards, and when inhibited, backward motion nothing assumes its role to compensate; an acute expression of dopamine induces a decrease in C. elegans locomotory rate; and worms compensate for dat-1 deficiency by regulating dopamine through other mechanisms.

  • This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.
Creator
Publisher
Identifier
  • E-project-062011-114244
Advisor
Year
  • 2011
Sponsor
Date created
  • 2011-06-20
Resource type
Major
Rights statement

Relations

In Collection:

Items

Items

Permanent link to this page: https://digital.wpi.edu/show/vq27zq140