Identification of a brain center whose activity discriminates a choice behavior in zebrafish

摘要: The ability to make choices and carry out appropriate actions is critical for individual survival well-being. Choice behaviors, from hard-wired experience-dependent, have been observed across the animal kingdom. Although differential engagement of sensory neuronal pathways a known mechanism, neurobiological substrates in brain that underlie choice making downstream perception are not well understood. Here, we report behavioral paradigm zebrafish which half-light/half-dark visual image evokes an innate behavior, light avoidance. Neuronal activity mapping using immediate early gene c-fos reveals distinct regions, including medial zone dorsal telencephalic region (Dm) nucleus ventral area (Vd), teleost anatomical homologs mammalian amygdala striatum, respectively. In animals were subjected identical stimulus but displayed little or no avoidance, strikingly, Dm Vd engaged, despite similar levels activation nuclei involved processing. Based on these findings previous connectivity data, propose neural circuitry model serves as center, predicates this behavior zebrafish.