An anomalous ability to make predictions was discovered in the brain

Neuroscientists have discovered that the brain can begin preparing for social interaction even before an animal makes a move toward another member of its species. Research on zebrafish (Danio rerio) showed that a characteristic pattern of neuronal activity arises in the brain several seconds before the onset of social interaction. The study was published in the journal Nature Communications (NatCom).

Social behavior requires decision-making: whether to approach another creature, how to do it, and what consequences may follow. Such processes are characteristic of a wide variety of animals - from fish and birds to humans.

To understand how the brain prepares for such actions, researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem observed neuronal activity in zebrafish during interactions with other individuals. In the experiment, one fish remained immobile in a special setup, which allowed the scientists to record its brain activity. Meanwhile, other zebrafish swam freely around it, and the fish could interact with them.

The analysis showed that before the fish began moving toward its conspecifics, a distinct wave of activity arose in its brain. It appeared several seconds before the onset of movement and involved the pallium - a brain region associated with complex forms of behavior.

In vertebrates, this structure is considered a functional analog of certain regions of the human brain, including areas involved in processing emotions, memory, and social signals. The researchers also discovered an important feature: the characteristic burst of activity occurred only before social interaction. When the fish followed an ordinary moving dot rather than another fish, this neural signal did not appear.

To verify the role of the identified neurons, the scientists used a laser to precisely destroy pallium cells that were activated before social behavior. After this, the fish virtually stopped showing interest in other individuals, confirming the importance of this brain region for social interaction.

The researchers also noted that social contacts occurred more frequently between fish whose movements were synchronized. This points to a close connection between movement coordination and the drive to interact.

Although the study was conducted on fish, the scientists believe that similar mechanisms may exist in other vertebrates, including mammals. According to the authors, the results will help better understand the nature of social differences between people and may in the future prove useful for studying conditions associated with difficulties in social communication.