1
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Lõoke M, Guérineau C, Broseghini A, Mongillo P, Marinelli L. Visual continuum in non-human animals: serial dependence revealed in dogs. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240051. [PMID: 39045690 PMCID: PMC11267470 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Serial dependence is a recently described phenomenon by which the perceptual evaluation of a stimulus is biased by a previously attended one. By integrating stimuli over time, serial dependence is believed to ensure a stable conscious experience. Despite increasing studies in humans, it is unknown if the process occurs also in other species. Here, we assessed whether serial dependence occurs in dogs. To this aim, dogs were trained on a quantity discrimination task before being presented with a discrimination where one of the discriminanda was preceded by a task-irrelevant stimulus. If dogs are susceptible to serial dependence, the task-irrelevant stimulus was hypothesized to influence the perception of the subsequently presented quantity. Our results revealed that dogs perceived the currently presented quantity to be closer to the one presented briefly before, in accordance with serial dependence. The direction and strength of the effect were comparable to those observed in humans. Data regarding dogs' attention during the task suggest that dogs used two different quantity estimation mechanisms, an indication of a higher cognitive mechanism involved in the process. The present results are the first empirical evidence that serial dependence extends beyond humans, suggesting that the mechanism is shared by phylogenetically distant mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miina Lõoke
- Dipartimento di Biomedicina Comparata e Alimentazione, University of Padua, Legnaro, PD35020, Italy
| | - Cécile Guérineau
- Dipartimento di Biomedicina Comparata e Alimentazione, University of Padua, Legnaro, PD35020, Italy
| | - Anna Broseghini
- Dipartimento di Biomedicina Comparata e Alimentazione, University of Padua, Legnaro, PD35020, Italy
| | - Paolo Mongillo
- Dipartimento di Biomedicina Comparata e Alimentazione, University of Padua, Legnaro, PD35020, Italy
| | - Lieta Marinelli
- Dipartimento di Biomedicina Comparata e Alimentazione, University of Padua, Legnaro, PD35020, Italy
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2
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Visibelli E, Vigna G, Nascimben C, Benavides-Varela S. Neurobiology of numerical learning. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 158:105545. [PMID: 38220032 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Numerical abilities are complex cognitive skills essential for dealing with requirements of the modern world. Although the brain structures and functions underlying numerical cognition in different species have long been appreciated, genetic and molecular techniques have more recently expanded the knowledge about the mechanisms underlying numerical learning. In this review, we discuss the status of the research related to the neurobiological bases of numerical abilities. We consider how genetic factors have been associated with mathematical capacities and how these link to the current knowledge of brain regions underlying these capacities in human and non-human animals. We further discuss the extent to which significant variations in the levels of specific neurotransmitters may be used as potential markers of individual performance and learning difficulties and take into consideration the therapeutic potential of brain stimulation methods to modulate learning and improve interventional outcomes. The implications of this research for formulating a more comprehensive view of the neural basis of mathematical learning are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Visibelli
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Giulia Vigna
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Chiara Nascimben
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Silvia Benavides-Varela
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
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3
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Yang H, Jia L, Zhu J, Zhang J, Li M, Li C, Pan Y. The interplay of motor adaptation and groupitizing in numerosity perception: Insights from visual motion adaptation and proprioceptive motor adaptation. PeerJ 2024; 12:e16887. [PMID: 38436019 PMCID: PMC10906262 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Groupitizing is a well-established strategy in numerosity perception that enhances speed and sensory precision. Building on the ATOM theory, Anobile proposed the sensorimotor numerosity system, which posits a strong link between number and action. Previous studies using motor adaptation technology have shown that high-frequency motor adaptation leads to underestimation of numerosity perception, while low-frequency adaptation leads to overestimation. However, the impact of motor adaptation on groupitizing, and whether visual motion adaptation produces similar effects, remain unclear. In this study, we investigate the persistence of the advantage of groupitizing after motor adaptation and explore the effects of visual motion adaptation. Surprisingly, our findings reveal that proprioceptive motor adaptation weakens the advantage of groupitizing, indicating a robust effect of motor adaptation even when groupitizing is employed. Moreover, we observe a bidirectional relationship, as groupitizing also weakens the adaptation effect. These results highlight the complex interplay between motor adaptation and groupitizing in numerosity perception. Furthermore, our study provides evidence that visual motion adaptation also has an adaptation effect, but does not fully replicate the effects of proprioceptive motor adaptation on groupitizing. In conclusion, our research underscores the importance of groupitizing as a valuable strategy in numerosity perception, and sheds light on the influence of motion adaptation on this strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanyu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Basic Psychological and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
| | - Liangzhi Jia
- Key Laboratory of Basic Psychological and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jun Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Basic Psychological and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Basic Psychological and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
| | - Mengmeng Li
- Key Laboratory of Basic Psychological and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
| | - Chenli Li
- Key Laboratory of Basic Psychological and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yun Pan
- Key Laboratory of Basic Psychological and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
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4
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Tomonaga M, Haraguchi D, Wilkinson A. Slowly walking down to the more food: relative quantity discrimination in African spurred tortoises (Centrochelys sulcata). Anim Cogn 2023; 26:1675-1683. [PMID: 37477740 PMCID: PMC10442272 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-023-01812-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Quantity discrimination, is thought to be highly adaptive as it allows an organism to select greater amounts of food or larger social groups. In contrast to mammals, the processes underlying this ability are not as well understood in reptiles. This study examined the effects of ratio and number size on relative quantity discrimination in African spurred tortoises (Centrochelys sulcata). To assess these effects, tortoises were presented with trays containing favored food pieces in all possible number combinations between 1 and 7. The tortoises had to approach the tray they perceived as having the larger quantity. If correct, they received one piece of food as reinforcement. The results revealed that relative quantity discrimination was influenced by the ratio between the numbers of pieces, with performance improving as the ratio between the numbers increased. This finding suggests that the approximate number system or analogue magnitude estimation may control their behavior. However, as the number size increased, their performance declined, also suggesting that the approximate number system alone could not explain the present results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Tomonaga
- Japan Monkey Centre, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-0081, Japan.
- University of Human Environments, Matsuyama, Ehime, 790-0825, Japan.
| | | | - Anna Wilkinson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, LN6 7DL, UK.
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8203, Japan.
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5
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Bengochea M, Sitt JD, Izard V, Preat T, Cohen L, Hassan BA. Numerical discrimination in Drosophila melanogaster. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112772. [PMID: 37453418 PMCID: PMC10442639 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensitivity to numbers is a crucial cognitive ability. The lack of experimental models amenable to systematic genetic and neural manipulation has precluded discovering neural circuits required for numerical cognition. Here, we demonstrate that Drosophila flies spontaneously prefer sets containing larger numbers of objects. This preference is determined by the ratio between the two numerical quantities tested, a characteristic signature of numerical cognition across species. Individual flies maintained their numerical choice over consecutive days. Using a numerical visual conditioning paradigm, we found that flies are capable of associating sucrose with numerical quantities and can be trained to reverse their spontaneous preference for large quantities. Finally, we show that silencing lobula columnar neurons (LC11) reduces the preference for more objects, thus identifying a neuronal substrate for numerical cognition in invertebrates. This discovery paves the way for the systematic analysis of the behavioral and neural mechanisms underlying the evolutionary conserved sensitivity to numerosity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes Bengochea
- Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute (ICM), Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Jacobo D Sitt
- Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute (ICM), Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Veronique Izard
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Thomas Preat
- Brain Plasticity Unit, CNRS, ESPCI Paris, PSL Research University, 10 Rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Laurent Cohen
- Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute (ICM), Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France; AP-HP, Hôpital de La Pitié Salpêtrière, Féderation de Neurologie, Paris, France.
| | - Bassem A Hassan
- Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute (ICM), Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
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6
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Saban W, Gabay S. Contributions of Lower Structures to Higher Cognition: Towards a Dynamic Network Model. J Intell 2023; 11:121. [PMID: 37367523 DOI: 10.3390/jintelligence11060121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Researchers often attribute higher cognition to the enlargement of cortical regions throughout evolution, reflecting the belief that humans sit at the top of the cognitive pyramid. Implicitly, this approach assumes that the subcortex is of secondary importance for higher-order cognition. While it is now recognized that subcortical regions can be involved in various cognitive domains, it remains unclear how they contribute to computations essential for higher-level cognitive processes such as endogenous attention and numerical cognition. Herein, we identify three models of subcortical-cortical relations in these cognitive processes: (i) subcortical regions are not involved in higher cognition; (ii) subcortical computations support elemental forms of higher cognition mainly in species without a developed cortex; and (iii) higher cognition depends on a whole-brain dynamic network, requiring integrated cortical and subcortical computations. Based on evolutionary theories and recent data, we propose the SEED hypothesis: the Subcortex is Essential for the Early Development of higher cognition. According to the five principles of the SEED hypothesis, subcortical computations are essential for the emergence of cognitive abilities that enable organisms to adapt to an ever-changing environment. We examine the implications of the SEED hypothesis from a multidisciplinary perspective to understand how the subcortex contributes to various forms of higher cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Saban
- Center for Accessible Neuropsychology, Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Shai Gabay
- Department of Psychology, the Institute of Information Processing and Decision Making, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
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7
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Bengochea M, Hassan B. Numerosity as a visual property: Evidence from two highly evolutionary distant species. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1086213. [PMID: 36846325 PMCID: PMC9949967 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1086213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Most animals, from humans to invertebrates, possess an ability to estimate numbers. This evolutionary advantage facilitates animals' choice of environments with more food sources, more conspecifics to increase mating success, and/or reduced predation risk among others. However, how the brain processes numerical information remains largely unknown. There are currently two lines of research interested in how numerosity of visual objects is perceived and analyzed in the brain. The first argues that numerosity is an advanced cognitive ability processed in high-order brain areas, while the second proposes that "numbers" are attributes of the visual scene and thus numerosity is processed in the visual sensory system. Recent evidence points to a sensory involvement in estimating magnitudes. In this Perspective, we highlight this evidence in two highly evolutionary distant species: humans and flies. We also discuss the advantages of studying numerical processing in fruit flies in order to dissect the neural circuits involved in and required for numerical processing. Based on experimental manipulation and the fly connectome, we propose a plausible neural network for number sense in invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bassem Hassan
- *Correspondence: Mercedes Bengochea, ; Bassem Hassan,
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8
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Bosshard TC, Salazar LTH, Laska M. Numerical cognition in black-handed spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). Behav Processes 2022; 201:104734. [PMID: 35970272 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We assessed two aspects of numerical cognition in a group of nine captive spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). Petri dishes with varying amounts of food were used to assess relative quantity discrimination, and boxes fitted with dotted cards were used to assess discrete number discrimination with equally-sized dots and various-sized dots, respectively. We found that all animals succeeded in all three tasks and, as a group, reached the learning criterion of 70% correct responses within 110 trials in the quantity discrimination task, 160 trials in the numerosity task with equally-sized dots, and 30 trials in the numerosity task with various-sized dots. In all three tasks, the animals displayed a significant correlation between performance in terms of success rate and task difficulty in terms of numerical similarity of the stimuli and thus a ratio effect. The spider monkeys performed clearly better compared to strepsirrhine, catarrhine, and other platyrrhine primates tested previously on both types of numerical cognition tasks and at the same level as chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans. Our results support the notion that ecological traits such as a high degree of frugivory and/or social traits such as a high degree of fission-fusion dynamics may underlie between-species differences in cognitive abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany Claire Bosshard
- IFM Biology, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden; Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Matthias Laska
- IFM Biology, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden.
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9
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Abstract
Numerosity, that is, the number of items in a set, is a significant aspect in the perception of the environment. Behavioral and in silico experiments suggest that number sense belongs to a core knowledge system and can be present already at birth. However, neurons sensitive to the number of visual items have been so far described only in the brain of adult animals. Therefore, it remained unknown to what extent their selectivity would depend on visual learning and experience. We found number neurons in the caudal nidopallium (a higher associative area functionally similar to the mammalian prefrontal cortex) of very young, numerically naïve domestic chicks. This result suggests that numerosity perception is possibly an inborn feature of the vertebrate brain. Numerical cognition is ubiquitous in the animal kingdom. Domestic chicks are a widely used developmental model for studying numerical cognition. Soon after hatching, chicks can perform sophisticated numerical tasks. Nevertheless, the neural basis of their numerical abilities has remained unknown. Here, we describe number neurons in the caudal nidopallium (functionally equivalent to the mammalian prefrontal cortex) of young domestic chicks. Number neurons that we found in young chicks showed remarkable similarities to those in the prefrontal cortex and caudal nidopallium of adult animals. Thus, our results suggest that numerosity perception based on number neurons might be an inborn feature of the vertebrate brain.
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10
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Vallortigara G, Lorenzi E, Messina A, Perrino M. Magnitudes for Nervous Systems: Theoretical Issues and Experimental Evidence. CURRENT DIRECTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/09637214221102146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Animals’ negotiations with the environment frequently involve quantitative assessments. However, it is largely unknown how different nervous systems can deal with information about magnitude and perform operations on it. Here we review some of the literature on this topic and discuss a few issues worthy of debate that can guide future research directions. First, we present experimental evidence suggesting that, in addition to the cortical (pallial) brain regions that are widely acknowledged to play a role in magnitude estimation, subcortical (more generally, subpallial) brain regions also play an important role. Second, we discuss interactions between different domains of magnitude and put forward a hypothesis to account for the directionality of associations between discrete and continuous magnitude. Finally, we suggest how the distinction between the concepts of number and discrete quantity should foster more attention to the role of sensory areas and circuits in assessing discrete quantities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elena Lorenzi
- Centre for Mind/Brain Science (CIMeC), University of Trento
| | - Andrea Messina
- Centre for Mind/Brain Science (CIMeC), University of Trento
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11
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Messina A, Potrich D, Perrino M, Sheardown E, Miletto Petrazzini ME, Luu P, Nadtochiy A, Truong TV, Sovrano VA, Fraser SE, Brennan CH, Vallortigara G. Quantity as a Fish Views It: Behavior and Neurobiology. Front Neuroanat 2022; 16:943504. [PMID: 35911657 PMCID: PMC9334151 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.943504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
An ability to estimate quantities, such as the number of conspecifics or the size of a predator, has been reported in vertebrates. Fish, in particular zebrafish, may be instrumental in advancing the understanding of magnitude cognition. We review here the behavioral studies that have described the ecological relevance of quantity estimation in fish and the current status of the research aimed at investigating the neurobiological bases of these abilities. By combining behavioral methods with molecular genetics and calcium imaging, the involvement of the retina and the optic tectum has been documented for the estimation of continuous quantities in the larval and adult zebrafish brain, and the contributions of the thalamus and the dorsal-central pallium for discrete magnitude estimation in the adult zebrafish brain. Evidence for basic circuitry can now be complemented and extended to research that make use of transgenic lines to deepen our understanding of quantity cognition at genetic and molecular levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Messina
- Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Davide Potrich
- Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Matilde Perrino
- Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Eva Sheardown
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, New Hunt’s House, Kings College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Peter Luu
- Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Anna Nadtochiy
- Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Thai V. Truong
- Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Valeria Anna Sovrano
- Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Scott E. Fraser
- Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Caroline H. Brennan
- School of Biological and Behavioral Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Giorgio Vallortigara
- Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- *Correspondence: Giorgio Vallortigara,
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12
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Sheardown E, Torres-Perez JV, Anagianni S, Fraser SE, Vallortigara G, Butterworth B, Miletto-Petrazzini ME, Brennan CH. Characterizing ontogeny of quantity discrimination in zebrafish. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212544. [PMID: 35135351 PMCID: PMC8826302 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A sense of non-symbolic numerical magnitudes is widespread in the animal kingdom and has been documented in adult zebrafish. Here, we investigated the ontogeny of this ability using a group size preference (GSP) task in juvenile zebrafish. Fish showed GSP from 21 days post-fertilization and reliably chose the larger group when presented with discriminations of between 1 versus 3, 2 versus 5 and 2 versus 3 conspecifics but not 2 versus 4 conspecifics. When the ratio between the number of conspecifics in each group was maintained at 1 : 2, fish could discriminate between 1 versus 2 individuals and 3 versus 6, but again, not when given a choice between 2 versus 4 individuals. These findings are in agreement with studies in other species, suggesting the systems involved in quantity representation do not operate separately from other cognitive mechanisms. Rather they suggest quantity processing in fishes may be the result of an interplay between attentional, cognitive and memory-related mechanisms as in humans and other animals. Our results emphasize the potential of the use of zebrafish to explore the genetic and neural processes underlying the ontogeny and function of number cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Sheardown
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, New Hunt's House, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Jose Vicente Torres-Perez
- Departament de Biologia Cellular, Biologia Funcional i Antropologia física, Fac. de CC. Biològiques, Universitat de València, C/ Dr. Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot (València), Spain
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Sofia Anagianni
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Scott E. Fraser
- Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | | | - Brian Butterworth
- UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, 17 Queen Square, London WC1N 3AZ, UK
| | - Maria Elena Miletto-Petrazzini
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Caroline H. Brennan
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
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13
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Abstract
Debates have arisen as to whether non-human animals actually can learn abstract non-symbolic numerousness or whether they always rely on some continuous physical aspect of the stimuli, covarying with number. Here, we investigated archerfish (Toxotes jaculatrix) non-symbolic numerical discrimination with accurate control for covarying continuous physical stimulus attributes. Archerfish were trained to select one of two groups of black dots (Exp. 1: 3 vs 6 elements; Exp. 2: 2 vs 3 elements); these were controlled for several combinations of physical variables (elements' size, overall area, overall perimeter, density, and sparsity), ensuring that only numerical information was available. Generalization tests with novel numerical comparisons (2 vs 3, 5 vs 8, and 6 vs 9 in Exp. 1; 3 vs 4, 3 vs 6 in Exp. 2) revealed choice for the largest or smallest numerical group according to the relative number that was rewarded at training. None of the continuous physical variables, including spatial frequency, were affecting archerfish performance. Results provide evidence that archerfish spontaneously use abstract relative numerical information for both small and large numbers when only numerical cues are available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Potrich
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of TrentoRoveretoItaly
| | - Mirko Zanon
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of TrentoRoveretoItaly
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14
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Messina A, Potrich D, Schiona I, Sovrano VA, Fraser SE, Brennan CH, Vallortigara G. Neurons in the Dorso-Central Division of Zebrafish Pallium Respond to Change in Visual Numerosity. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:418-428. [PMID: 34322692 PMCID: PMC8754367 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
We found a region of the zebrafish pallium that shows selective activation upon change in the numerosity of visual stimuli. Zebrafish were habituated to sets of small dots that changed in individual size, position, and density, while maintaining their numerousness and overall surface. During dishabituation tests, zebrafish faced a change in number (with the same overall surface), in shape (with the same overall surface and number), or in size (with the same shape and number) of the dots, whereas, in a control group, zebrafish faced the same stimuli as during the habituation. Modulation of the expression of the immediate early genes c-fos and egr-1 and in situ hybridization revealed a selective activation of the caudal part of the dorso-central division of the zebrafish pallium upon change in numerosity. These findings support the existence of an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for approximate magnitude and provide an avenue for understanding its underlying molecular correlates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Messina
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto 38068, Italy
| | - Davide Potrich
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto 38068, Italy
| | - Ilaria Schiona
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto 38068, Italy
| | - Valeria Anna Sovrano
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto 38068, Italy
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto 38068, Italy
| | - Scott E Fraser
- Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA 90089, USA
| | - Caroline H Brennan
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
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Zanon M, Lemaire BS, Vallortigara G. Steps towards a computational ethology: an automatized, interactive setup to investigate filial imprinting and biological predispositions. BIOLOGICAL CYBERNETICS 2021; 115:575-584. [PMID: 34272970 PMCID: PMC8642325 DOI: 10.1007/s00422-021-00886-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Soon after hatching, the young of precocial species, such as domestic chicks or ducklings, learn to recognize their social partner by simply being exposed to it (imprinting process). Even artificial objects or stimuli displayed on monitor screens can effectively trigger filial imprinting, though learning is canalized by spontaneous preferences for animacy signals, such as certain kinds of motion or a face-like appearance. Imprinting is used as a behavioural paradigm for studies on memory formation, early learning and predispositions, as well as number and space cognition, and brain asymmetries. Here, we present an automatized setup to expose and/or test animals for a variety of imprinting experiments. The setup consists of a cage with two high-frequency screens at the opposite ends where stimuli are shown. Provided with a camera covering the whole space of the cage, the behaviour of the animal is recorded continuously. A graphic user interface implemented in Matlab allows a custom configuration of the experimental protocol, that together with Psychtoolbox drives the presentation of images on the screens, with accurate time scheduling and a highly precise framerate. The setup can be implemented into a complete workflow to analyse behaviour in a fully automatized way by combining Matlab (and Psychtoolbox) to control the monitor screens and stimuli, DeepLabCut to track animals' behaviour, Python (and R) to extract data and perform statistical analyses. The automated setup allows neuro-behavioural scientists to perform standardized protocols during their experiments, with faster data collection and analyses, and reproducible results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirko Zanon
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.
| | - Bastien S Lemaire
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
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Saban W, Sklar AY, Hassin RR, Gabay S. Ancient visual channels have a causal role in arithmetic calculations. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22795. [PMID: 34815496 PMCID: PMC8610989 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02260-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans exhibit complex arithmetic skills, often attributed to our exceptionally large neocortex. However, the past decade has provided ample evidence that the functional domain of the subcortex extends well beyond basic functions. Using a sensitive behavioral method, for the first time, we explored the contributions of lower-order visual monocular channels to symbolic arithmetic operations, addition and subtraction. The pattern of results from 4 different experiments provides converging evidence for a causal relation between mental arithmetic and primitive subcortical regions. The results have major implications for our understanding of the neuroevolutionary development of general numerical abilities–subcortical regions, which are shared across different species, are essential to complex numerical operations. In a bigger conceptual framework, these findings and others call for a shift from the modal view of the exclusive role of the neocortex in high-level cognition to a view that emphasizes the interplay between subcortical and cortical brain networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Saban
- Department of Psychology and the Institute of Information Processing and Decision Making (IIPDM), University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel. .,Department of Psychology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
| | - Asael Y Sklar
- Department of Psychology, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ran R Hassin
- Department of Psychology, and the Center for the Study of Rationality, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Shai Gabay
- Department of Psychology and the Institute of Information Processing and Decision Making (IIPDM), University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
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Messina A, Potrich D, Schiona I, Sovrano VA, Vallortigara G. The Sense of Number in Fish, with Particular Reference to Its Neurobiological Bases. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11113072. [PMID: 34827804 PMCID: PMC8614421 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The ability to deal with quantity, both discrete (numerosities) and continuous (spatial or temporal extent) developed from an evolutionarily conserved system for approximating numerical magnitude. Non-symbolic number cognition based on an approximate sense of magnitude has been documented in a variety of vertebrate species, including fish. Fish, in particular zebrafish, are widely used as models for the investigation of the genetics and molecular mechanisms of behavior, and thus may be instrumental to development of a neurobiology of number cognition. We review here the behavioural studies that have permitted to identify numerical abilities in fish, and the current status of the research related to the neurobiological bases of these abilities with special reference to zebrafish. Combining behavioural tasks with molecular genetics, molecular biology and confocal microscopy, a role of the retina and optic tectum in the encoding of continuous magnitude in larval zebrafish has been reported, while the thalamus and the dorso-central subdivision of pallium in the encoding of discrete magnitude (number) has been documented in adult zebrafish. Research in fish, in particular zebrafish, may reveal instrumental for identifying and characterizing the molecular signature of neurons involved in quantity discrimination processes of all vertebrates, including humans. Abstract It is widely acknowledged that vertebrates can discriminate non-symbolic numerosity using an evolutionarily conserved system dubbed Approximate Number System (ANS). Two main approaches have been used to assess behaviourally numerosity in fish: spontaneous choice tests and operant training procedures. In the first, animals spontaneously choose between sets of biologically-relevant stimuli (e.g., conspecifics, food) differing in quantities (smaller or larger). In the second, animals are trained to associate a numerosity with a reward. Although the ability of fish to discriminate numerosity has been widely documented with these methods, the molecular bases of quantities estimation and ANS are largely unknown. Recently, we combined behavioral tasks with molecular biology assays (e.g c-fos and egr1 and other early genes expression) showing that the thalamus and the caudal region of dorso-central part of the telencephalon seem to be activated upon change in numerousness in visual stimuli. In contrast, the retina and the optic tectum mainly responded to changes in continuous magnitude such as stimulus size. We here provide a review and synthesis of these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Messina
- Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (D.P.); (I.S.); (V.A.S.)
- Correspondence: (A.M.); (G.V.)
| | - Davide Potrich
- Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (D.P.); (I.S.); (V.A.S.)
| | - Ilaria Schiona
- Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (D.P.); (I.S.); (V.A.S.)
| | - Valeria Anna Sovrano
- Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (D.P.); (I.S.); (V.A.S.)
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Giorgio Vallortigara
- Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (D.P.); (I.S.); (V.A.S.)
- Correspondence: (A.M.); (G.V.)
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