GABAergic motor neurons bias locomotor decision-making in C. elegans

Ping Liu, Bojun Chen and Zhao-Wen Wang ()
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Ping Liu: University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Bojun Chen: University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Zhao-Wen Wang: University of Connecticut School of Medicine

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-19

Abstract: Abstract Proper threat-reward decision-making is critical to animal survival. Emerging evidence indicates that the motor system may participate in decision-making but the neural circuit and molecular bases for these functions are little known. We found in C. elegans that GABAergic motor neurons (D-MNs) bias toward the reward behavior in threat-reward decision-making by retrogradely inhibiting a pair of premotor command interneurons, AVA, that control cholinergic motor neurons in the avoidance neural circuit. This function of D-MNs is mediated by a specific ionotropic GABA receptor (UNC-49) in AVA, and depends on electrical coupling between the two AVA interneurons. Our results suggest that AVA are hub neurons where sensory inputs from threat and reward sensory modalities and motor information from D-MNs are integrated. This study demonstrates at single-neuron resolution how motor neurons may help shape threat-reward choice behaviors through interacting with other neurons.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18893-9

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