Fig. 5.

Learning ability is enhanced in exercised C. elegans. (A) Diagram of the associative learning assay. After the 3+3+2+2 regimen, we starved Ad5 animals for 1 h followed by food-butanone conditioning in a seeded NGM plate with 10% butanone solution on the inside of the lid. We performed chemotaxis assays of naïve and conditioned animals by testing attraction to butanone vs. isoamyl alcohol. (B) Learning index of Ad5 WT animals 0 h postconditioning after exposure to the 3+3+2+2 regimen. Chemotaxis index (CI) = (animal number at butanone − animal number at isoamyl alcohol)/(total animal number − immobile animal number at origin). We calculated learning index by subtraction of naïve CI from postconditioning CI. n = 8 independent trials. **P ≤ 0.01.