Disparate processing of numerosity and associated continuous magnitudes in rats.

ABSTRACT: The studies of number sense in different species are severely hampered by the inevitable entanglement of non-numerical attributes inherent in nonsymbolic stimuli representing numerosity, resulting in contrasting theories of numerosity processing. Here, we developed an algorithm and associated analytical methods to generate stimuli that not only minimized the impact of non-numerical magnitudes in numerosity perception but also allowed their quantification. We trained number-naïve rats with these stimuli as sound pulses representing two or three numbers and demonstrated that their numerical discrimination ability mainly relied on numerosity. Also, studying the learning process revealed that rats used numerosity before using magnitudes for choices. This numerical processing could be impaired

SUBMITTER: Liang T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10881051 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature