Analysis of Two Neurons Underlying Sickness Sleep Behavior in C. Elegans
Rest and recovery are natural states following exposure to stress, yet the the molecular, cellular, and neural basis behind why and how this happens is not fully understood. My research explores recovery behavior in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) known as stress-induced sleep (SIS). During SIS, there are two key neurons at play which induces quiescent behavior in worms, the ALA and the RIS. Past research have shown that the ALA is correlated with response to stressors while the RIS is correlated with the state of sleep itself. While the two neurons are both involved in SIS, they act on independent pathways, with the ALA involved in the inhibition of feeding behavior whereas the RIS inhibits locomotion. It is of interest to explore how these two neurons work in tandem to mediate this sickness sleep behavior. Although work has been done on examining these the ALA and RIS separately, the monitoring of the two simultaneously as the worm undergoes SIS has not been tried before. I find through GCAMP recordings from the neurons that there is a correlational relationship between the ALA and RIS.
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