Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Biological neural networks undergo dynamic structural and functional changes during development, yet how their controllability evolves across different life stages remains largely unexplored. Here, we investigate the neural network of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a fully mapped model organism, to examine changes in network controllability from larval stages to adulthood. Using structural controllability and target control frameworks, we show that while global neural controllability progressively increases with developmental complexity, muscle-target controllability declines after early larval stages, indicating a functional shift in control priorities. Furthermore, a comparative analysis between hermaphroditic and male adults reveals that overall controllability remains similar despite substantial differences in neural architecture, with hermaphrodites exhibiting slightly higher efficiency. These findings highlight fundamental principles of how neural circuits reorganize during maturation and suggest that controllability analysis can provide valuable insights into neural function, sex-specific behaviors, and potential applications in modeling developmental and degenerative disorders.
Source: Biomimetics
Authors: Jian Liu, Peng Zhao, Gang Wang, Tao Fang, Ye Yuan
Language: English
Subfield: Statistical and Nonlinear Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,654
Awards: G2527317937, G5750156312, G8153165034
OpenAlex ID: W4415932383