EPISODE 23: Magnetic Minds – Worms Reveal Brain-Wide Signals in Real Time

EPISODE 23: Magnetic Minds – Worms Reveal Brain-Wide Signals in Real Time

In this episode, we follow Caenorhabditis elegans into the magnetic field. Researchers have developed an elegant way to measure whole-brain neural activity in freely moving worms using a calcium-sensitive MRI contrast agent — a major step toward non-invasive brain mapping at the organism scale.


We explore:


  • How a genetically targeted MRI probe was used to detect calcium flux across the entire worm brain

  • The fusion of genetics, MRI physics, and behavioural tracking

  • Real-time measurements of brain dynamics during natural behaviour

  • How this technique opens the door to non-invasive neuroimaging in small model organisms

  • Implications for understanding how global brain states coordinate behaviour



📖 Based on the research article:

“Functional MRI of brain-wide activity in freely moving C. elegans”

Uday A. Ramalingam, Andrew M. Leifer, et al.

Published in Nature (2024)

🔗 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08331-x



🎧 Subscribe to the WOrM Podcast for more full-organism innovations in imaging, neuroscience, and behaviour!


This podcast is generated with artificial intelligence and curated by Veeren. If you’d like your publication featured on the show, please get in touch.


📩 More info:

🔗 ⁠⁠www.veerenchauhan.com⁠⁠

📧 veeren.chauhan@nottingham.ac.uk

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Episoder(60)

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