[
International Worm Meeting,
2021]
Animal behavior is controlled by genetic components, environmental cues, past experience, and internal state. How these factors interact to determine behavior across timescales is poorly understood. Here we use high-content recording and quantitative analysis of C. elegans behavior to systematically dissect the impact of sensory input, sensory history, and internal state in the modulation of temperature-dependent behavioral states. Using clustering and principal component analysis (PCA), we show behavioral states under different conditions can be represented as a unique code of worm postural and functional behavioral parameters. Under constant environmental condition, worms show 'steady-state' behavior, which remains unchanged over long timescales. In response to a change in internal state or external environment, 'steady state' behavior undergoes a transition and reaches a new 'steady state'. During the transition, some behavioral parameters remain unchanged while others show a temporary or long-term change. We found that long-term thermosensory history, thermosensory input from the environment, and change in internal state interact to modulate 'steady-state' behavior. These results provide insights about plasticity in worm behavioral code across timescales. Future investigations are directed to take a deeper dive and understand the mechanisms modulating 'steady state' and transition in the temperature-dependent behavioral states.