# behav: how a microbiota (Curvibacter sp.) could modulate eating behavior in Hydra.

(AA) << studied the eating behavior of Hydra, a host that has a simple nervous system and a low-complexity microbiota. >>

(They) << demonstrate that different neuronal subpopulations are functioning together to control the eating behavior. The microbiota participates in control of the eating behavior since germ-free or mono-colonized animals have drastic difficulties in mouth opening. This was restored by adding a full complement of the microbiota. >>️

The << findings confirm and expand on the idea that in animals without a central nervous system, a complex behavior is controlled by multiple subpopulations of neurons, forming circuits and modules. (Their)  observations presented here show that this not only requires the coordination of multiple neuronal circuits, but also that signals from the microbial environment play an important role. >>

Christoph Giez, Denis Pinkle, et al.  Microbes as part of ancestral neuronal circuits: Bacterial produced signals affect neurons controlling eating behavior in Hydra. BioRxiv. doi: 10.1101/ 2023.04.28.538719. Apr 29, 2023. 

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.28.538719v1

Also: How a virus could cause context-dependent manipulation in host social behavior.  Apr 28, 2020.  https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/2020/04/gst-how-virus-could-cause-context.html

Keywords: behav, eating behavior, food, Hydra, microbiota