Extracted neuron peristimulus calcium activity

Number sense, or the ability to perceive quantity, is fundamental for animal survival yet its neural basis remains poorly understood. Using two-photon fluorescence light sheet microscopy, we captured whole-brain neuronal activity in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) in response to visual number stimuli. We identified neurons selective for specific quantities as early as 3 days post-fertilization, with a notable increase in neurons tuned to larger quantities over time. Machine learning analyses revealed that stimulus prediction accuracy from neuronal activity improved with age. Additionally, exposure to ethanol reduced the number of selective neurons in the forebrain, indicating possible cognitive impairment. Our findings enhance the understanding of neural circuits underlying number perception and introduce a broadly applicable approach for tracking single-neuron activity across the brain.

数感（Number sense），即感知数量的能力，是动物生存的基础，但其神经机制仍知之甚少。我们利用双光子荧光光片显微镜（two-photon fluorescence light sheet microscopy），记录了斑马鱼幼体（Danio rerio）在视觉数量刺激下的全脑神经元活动。我们发现，早在受精后3天就存在对特定数量有选择性的神经元，且随着时间推移，对更大数量敏感的神经元显著增加。机器学习分析显示，通过神经元活动预测刺激的准确性随年龄增长而提高。此外，暴露于乙醇会减少前脑中选择性神经元的数量，表明可能存在认知损伤。我们的发现加深了对数量感知背后神经回路的理解，并提出了一种广泛适用的全脑单神经元活动追踪方法。