Circuit Optimization Predicts Dynamic Networks for Chemosensory Orientation in Nematode C. elegans

The connectivity of the nervous system of the nematode Caenorhabditis eleganshas been described completely, but the analysis of the neuronal basisof behavior in this system is just beginning. Here, we used an optimization algorithm to search for patterns of connectivity sufficient tocompute the sensorimotor transformation underlying C. elegans chemotaxis, a simple form of spatial orientation behavior in which turning probabilityis modulated by the rate of change of chemical concentration.