Application of Caenorhabditis elegans' Feeding Behavior-Based Assay in Drug Discovery and Development

Feeding behavior is a fundamental biological process regulated by a complex interplay of sensory input, internal metabolic status, and environmental stimuli. Caenorhabditis elegans is a powerful in vivo model for studying the genetic, neural, and molecular mechanisms underlying diverse behaviors, based on its well-characterized nervous system and conserved signaling pathways. This review summarizes recent findings from four feeding behavior-based assays-avoidance, preference, satiety-induced quiescence, and social feeding-in C. elegans, highlighting the key genes, signaling molecules, and external stimuli that influence these behaviors, as well as their potential applications. By integrating insights from these assays, we illustrate how C. elegans serves as a valuable model organism for understanding appetite regulation, decision-making, and feeding-related pathologies that can potentially be translatable to human behaviors.