A dynamic body model of the nematode C. elegans with a touch-response circuit

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C elegans), a relatively simple organism in structure, is one of the most well-studied multicellular organisms. In this study, we develop a virtual C. elegans based on the actual nematode to analyze motor control which uses neuronal circuits and muscles. Although C. elegans processes many kinds of external stimuli, we focus on gentle touch stimulation. Virtual C. elegans consists of both a neuronal circuit model for touch-response and a dynamic body model, and is capable of reproducing a series of information processing from stimulation reception to generation of movement. The effectiveness of our model is discussed through simulation results