The nematode C. elegans is the only animal with a known
neuronal wiring diagram, or "connectome". During the last
three decades, extensive studies of the C. elegans have
provided wide-ranging data about it, but few systematic ways
of integrating these data into a dynamic model have been put
forward. Here we present a detailed demonstration of a virtual
C. elegans aimed at integrating these data in the form of a
3D dynamic model operating in a simulated physical
environment. Our current demonstration includes a realistic
flexible worm body model, muscular system and a partially
implemented ventral neural cord. Our virtual C. elegans
demonstrates successful forward and backward locomotion when
sending sinusoidal patterns of neuronal activity to groups of
motor neurons. To account for the relatively slow propagation
velocity and the attenuation of neuronal signals, we
introduced "pseudo neurons" into our model to simulate
simplified neuronal dynamics. The pseudo neurons also provide
a good way of visualizing the nervous system's structure and
activity dynamics.
%0 Journal Article
%1 palyanov_towards_2012
%A Palyanov, Andrey
%A Khayrulin, Sergey
%A Larson, Stephen D.
%A Dibert, Alexander
%D 2012
%J In Silico Biology
%K connectome simulation
%N 3
%P 137--147
%R 10.3233/ISB-2012-0445
%T Towards a virtual C. elegans: a framework for simulation and
visualization of the neuromuscular system in a 3D physical
environment
%V 11
%X The nematode C. elegans is the only animal with a known
neuronal wiring diagram, or "connectome". During the last
three decades, extensive studies of the C. elegans have
provided wide-ranging data about it, but few systematic ways
of integrating these data into a dynamic model have been put
forward. Here we present a detailed demonstration of a virtual
C. elegans aimed at integrating these data in the form of a
3D dynamic model operating in a simulated physical
environment. Our current demonstration includes a realistic
flexible worm body model, muscular system and a partially
implemented ventral neural cord. Our virtual C. elegans
demonstrates successful forward and backward locomotion when
sending sinusoidal patterns of neuronal activity to groups of
motor neurons. To account for the relatively slow propagation
velocity and the attenuation of neuronal signals, we
introduced "pseudo neurons" into our model to simulate
simplified neuronal dynamics. The pseudo neurons also provide
a good way of visualizing the nervous system's structure and
activity dynamics.
@article{palyanov_towards_2012,
abstract = {The nematode C. elegans is the only animal with a known
neuronal wiring diagram, or "connectome". During the last
three decades, extensive studies of the C. elegans have
provided wide-ranging data about it, but few systematic ways
of integrating these data into a dynamic model have been put
forward. Here we present a detailed demonstration of a virtual
C. elegans aimed at integrating these data in the form of a
{3D} dynamic model operating in a simulated physical
environment. Our current demonstration includes a realistic
flexible worm body model, muscular system and a partially
implemented ventral neural cord. Our virtual C. elegans
demonstrates successful forward and backward locomotion when
sending sinusoidal patterns of neuronal activity to groups of
motor neurons. To account for the relatively slow propagation
velocity and the attenuation of neuronal signals, we
introduced "pseudo neurons" into our model to simulate
simplified neuronal dynamics. The pseudo neurons also provide
a good way of visualizing the nervous system's structure and
activity dynamics.},
added-at = {2014-01-19T13:48:55.000+0100},
author = {Palyanov, Andrey and Khayrulin, Sergey and Larson, Stephen D. and Dibert, Alexander},
bdsk-url-1 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/ISB-2012-0445},
biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2ace1428ee3b53eee104b7abb071f4c1d/neurokernel},
doi = {10.3233/ISB-2012-0445},
interhash = {47086738cdde4fcc806d07cd6a526232},
intrahash = {ace1428ee3b53eee104b7abb071f4c1d},
issn = {1434-3207},
journal = {In Silico Biology},
keywords = {connectome simulation},
note = {{PMID:} 22935967},
number = 3,
pages = {137--147},
shorttitle = {Towards a virtual C. elegans},
timestamp = {2014-01-19T13:48:55.000+0100},
title = {Towards a virtual {C. elegans}: a framework for simulation and
visualization of the neuromuscular system in a {3D} physical
environment},
volume = 11,
year = 2012
}