An Artificial Neural Network for Image Classification Inspired by the Aversive Olfactory Learning Neural Circuit in Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

This study introduces an artificial neural network (ANN) for image classification task, inspired by the aversive olfactory learning neural circuit in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Although artificial neural networks (ANNs) have demonstrated remarkable performance in various tasks, they still encounter challenges including excessive parameterization, high training costs and limited generalization capabilities, etc. C. elegans, boasting a simple nervous system consisting of merely 302 neurons, is capable of exhibiting complex behaviors such as aversive olfactory learning. This research pinpoints key neural circuit related to aversive olfactory learning in C. elegans by means of behavioral experiment and high‐throughput RNA sequencing, and then translates it into an architecture of ANN for image classification. Furthermore, other ANNs for image classification with different architectures are constructed for comparative performance analysis to underscore the advantages of the bio‐inspired designed architecture. The results show that the ANN inspired by the aversive olfactory learning neural circuit in C. elegans attains higher accuracy, greater consistency and faster convergence rate in the image classification task, particularly when dealing with more complex classification challenges. This study not only demonstrates the potential of bio‐inspired design in improving the capabilities of ANNs but also offers a novel perspective and methodology for future ANNs design.