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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2025.08.28.672961

Automated analysis of C. elegans behavior by LabGym: an open-source, AI-powered platform

Xu, L. A.·Liu, H.·Li, Z.·Xu, X. Z. S.·Ye, B.·Hu, Y.·Ronan, E. A.
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Abstract

The genetic tractability, well-mapped circuitry, and diverse behavioral repertoire of the nematode C. elegans make it an ideal model for physiological and behavioral studies. A wide range of methods has been developed for analyzing C. elegans behaviors, evolving with advances in technology such as videography and computer-assisted analysis. Here, we introduce LabGym--an open-source, artificial intelligence (AI)-based platform we recently developed--to the C. elegans research community. We trained deep learning models in LabGym capable of automatically categorizing and quantifying multiple user-defined parameters of worm locomotion behavior in multi-worm videos with high accuracy. Furthermore, we demonstrated their efficacy in quantifying locomotion changes in aging worms. Our work offers a cost-effective, user-accessible approach to behavioral analysis in C. elegans.

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Xu, L. A., Liu, H., Li, Z., Xu, X. Z. S., Ye, B., Hu, Y., Ronan, E. A.. 2025-09-03. Automated analysis of C. elegans behavior by LabGym: an open-source, AI-powered platform. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.08.28.672961

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