Figure 4. Synaptic topography as a mechanism for network flexibility. Local modulation of synapses based on anatomical position within the nerve ring would allow functional selection of particular synaptic connections appropriate for a given behavior or state. The figure illustrates how connectivity patterns differ for different anatomical domains for a circuit involved in pathogen avoidance learning.¹³ Arrows denote synapses and blunt-ended lines denote gap junctions. The thickness of the arrows correlates with the number of the synapses.