How to reroute a broken neural circuit
Scientists genetically manipulate worms to bypass damaged neurons — and study how the mind perceives the environment
January 19, 2021
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By Sabrina Richards
/ Fred Hutch News Service
Hutch neuroscientist Dr. Jihong Bai explains why he studies tiny worms called nematodes.
Video by Robert Hood / Fred Hutch News Service
Nematodes, minuscule worms that are partial to rotting fruit, haven't been blessed with a lot of brain cells to rub together. But even with the few neurons they do have, these worms do amazing things: find food, avoid danger.
Killing off even a single brain cell can prevent a worm from turning environmental cues into a coherent picture of its surroundings. When scientists damage a neuron at the center of a worm's odor-sensing circuit, it wanders aimlessly, unable to move toward a pleasing scent even though its neuron that detects the smell still works.