A Simplified Cell Network for the Simulation of C . elegans ’ Forward Crawling

We simulate C. elegans’ forward crawling with a cell network composed of the AVB interneuron pair, 18 B-type and 19 D-type motorneurons and 95 body muscles, considering three key hypotheses; I. AVB interneurons get activated from their upstream neurons, and excite B-type motor neurons. II. Simultaneously, a central pattern generator (CPG) in the head, produces periodic stimuli for the B-type motorneuron network. Input stimuli from the CPG is injected into the first dorsal and ventral motor neurons (DB01 and VB01). These signals then propagate in a coordinated manner through the rest of the B-type motorneurons. III. At the same time, a proprioceptive feedback function is assumed amongst B-type motorneurons that establishes synchronized traveling waves in the muscles. Simulation of the cell network and the worm’s crawling is performed in the c302 and Sibernetic platforms of the OpenWorm project. See a video demonstration here https: //youtu.be/iyV7y8nFdDU.