C. elegans

Recent articles

A worm made of circuitry.

Whole-brain, bottom-up neuroscience: The time for it is now

Applying new tools to entire brains, starting with C. elegans, offers the opportunity to uncover how molecules work together to generate neural physiology and how neurons work together to generate behavior.

By Edward Boyden, Konrad Körding
20 October 2025 | 9 min read
Research image of neuron organization in c elegans.

Worms help untangle brain structure/function mystery

The synaptic connectome of most animals bears little resemblance to functional brain maps, but it can still predict neuronal activity, according to two preprints that tackle the puzzle in C. elegans

By Holly Barker
29 August 2025 | 7 min read
Artistic illustration of a neural manifold.

Neural population-based approaches have opened new windows into neural computations and behavior

Neural manifold properties can help us understand how animal brains deal with complex information, execute flexible behaviors and reuse common computations.

By Matthew Perich
4 August 2025 | 7 min read
Still from research video displaying wiring map of a fruit fly's brain.

Standout neuroscience news in 2023

Did you miss any of our favorite stories from the past year? Revisit them here.

By The Transmitter
27 December 2023 | 3 min read
Research image of neurons

Plugging invisible gaps in the synaptic connectome

Two new maps of the roundworm nervous system detail how neurons communicate with short proteins called neuropeptides outside synapses.

By Elissa Welle
6 December 2023 | 6 min read

Controlling neurons with ultrasound: Q&A with Sreekanth Chalasani

The new method, called sonogenetics, noninvasively manipulates neural circuits in mice.

By Niko McCarty
1 March 2022 | 7 min read
Photograph of a researcher holding a zebra finch.

Fish, frogs, flies and other fauna in scientific firsts

Over the past century, scientists have used a variety of animal models to advance their understanding of the developing brain and autism.

By Sarah DeWeerdt
8 September 2021 | 4 min read
A lighthearted, colorful, chaotic lab scene with fruit flies flying in formation, worms peeking out of piles of dirt and zebrafish spilling out of beakers.

What studying worms, flies and fish says about autism

Researchers are increasingly turning to simple animals to learn about autism biology and find leads for new drugs.

By Sarah DeWeerdt
8 September 2021 | 18 min read

Stimulant restores cell signaling, eases behavior issues in animals missing autism gene

Worms and zebrafish missing both copies of the gene CHD7 have disrupted cellular signaling, a dearth of inhibitory neurons and behavior changes — all of which are reversed by the stimulant drug ephedrine.

By Peter Hess
28 May 2021 | 4 min read

Map of fly brain lights up millions of connections

A new wiring diagram of the fruit fly brain is the most complex ever created.

By Laura Dattaro
12 February 2020 | 2 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Genetic profiles separate early, late autism diagnoses

Age at diagnosis reflects underlying differences in common genetic variants and developmental trajectories among people with autism.

By Natalia Mesa
27 November 2025 | 5 min read

To persist, memories surf molecular waves from thalamus to cortex

During the later stages of learning, the mouse brain progressively activates transcriptional regulators that drive memory consolidation.

By Claudia López Lloreda
26 November 2025 | 4 min read

Sex hormone boosts female rats’ sensitivity to unexpected rewards

During the high-estradiol stages of their estrus cycle, female rats learn faster than they do during other stages—and than male rats overall—thanks to a boost in their dopaminergic response to reward, a new study suggests.

By Angie Voyles Askham
26 November 2025 | 5 min read

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