raw research reveal that , just likehuman teenager , worms go through a dopey adolescent stage during which they lack stress and are easily distract from their responsibility . However , rather than just going off the rail and acting disobediently , scientist believe the animals may invalidate the straight - and - narrow in gild to realise a wide of the mark variety of experiences , thereby learning more about their surround before eventually educate a sense of purpose and direction in adulthood .
nematode worm are particularly fond to a chemical call diacetyl , which also materialize to be democratic among humans as it has the smell of butter popcorn .
When researchers place roundworm of different ages in a dish with a drib of diacetyl , they found that adult worms headed directly to the nutrient source , but adolescent specimen tend to take a less verbatim route , exploring various voice of the dish and sometimes never making it to the food at all .
To image out why younger worm are so easily trouble , the team then used molecular techniques that caused neurons in the animate being ’ mastermind to become illuminated when active . They were peculiarly concerned in observing a brace of neurons prognosticate AWA , which are responsible for detecting the smell of diacetyl .
Describing their determination in the journaleNeuro , the study author explain that AWA only responded to high concentrations of diacetyl in teen nematodes , but was capable to pick up much imperfect traces of the chemical in adults .
Furthermore , three other exercise set of neurons called AWB , ASK , and AWC all became trip in adults , but not teenager , when diacetyl was present .
This advise that as the nematodes gain maturity they developage - specific neural circuitsthat insure their behavior , making them more focussed and efficient when it come to fulfilling life ’s obligation , such as finding food .
In demarcation , study Centennial State - author Laura Hale explain in astatementthat young worms act like “ angsty teens ” who react to the presence of intellectual nourishment by sound out “ yeah , I know I ’m opine to go over there but I just do n’t feel like it . ”
The researchers conceive that this mental attitude enables the young dirt ball to modernise whippy behavior , as opposed to the rigid discipline of their elders , which in number helps them to learn more about their surround .
“ alternatively of but being rebellious , teens – both mankind and worms – may just be staying conciliatory to conform to an unpredictable world , ” add co - author Sreekanth Chalasani .
