PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Abolfazl Alipour
AU  - Mohammadreza Dorvash
AU  - Yasaman Yeganeh
AU  - Gholamreza Hatam
TI  - Paramecium Learning: New Insights and Modifications
AID  - 10.1101/225250
DP  - 2017 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 225250
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/11/29/225250.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/11/29/225250.full
AB  - Learning is a fundamental process in neural systems. However, microorganisms without a nervous system have been shown to possess learning abilities. Specifically, Paramecium caudatum has been previously reported to be able to form associations between lighting conditions and cathodal shocks in its swimming medium. We have replicated previous reports on this phenomenon and tested the predictions of a molecular pathway hypothesis on paramecium learning. Our results indicated that in contrast to the previous reports, paramecium can only associate higher light intensities with cathodal stimulation and it cannot associate lower light intensities with cathodal stimulation. These results found to be in line with the predictions of the previously proposed model for the molecular mechanisms of learning in paramecium which depends on the effects of cathodal shocks on the interplay between Cyclic adenosine monophosphate concentration and phototactic behavior of paramecium.