The brain is capable of predicting the future: scientists have found an anomaly

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 showed that a characteristic pattern of neuronal activity emerges in the brain several seconds before the onset of communication. The study was published in the journal Nature Communications (NatCom).

Social behavior requires the brain to make a whole chain of decisions: whether to approach another creature, how exactly to do so, and what the outcome might be. These internal processes are universal and characteristic of a wide variety of animals — from fish and birds to humans.

To understand how the brain tunes itself in advance for contact, scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem tracked neuronal activity in zebrafish during encounters with conspecifics. During the experiment, one fish was fixed in a special setup — this made it possible to record its brain activity in real time. Meanwhile, other zebrafish swam freely around it, allowing the fixed fish to engage in interactions with them.

The results were impressive. Before the fish began moving toward its conspecifics, a distinct wave of activity unfolded in its brain. It appeared several seconds before the onset of movement and encompassed the pallium — a brain region associated with complex forms of behavior.

In vertebrates, this structure is considered a functional analog of several regions of the human brain, including areas responsible for processing emotions, memory, and social signals. At the same time, the researchers discovered a key detail: the characteristic burst of activity occurred exclusively before social interaction. When the fish followed an ordinary moving dot rather than another fish, this neuronal signal did not appear.

To verify the role of the identified neurons, the scientists employed targeted laser ablation of pallium cells that were activated before social behavior. After the procedure, the fish virtually lost interest in other individuals — this convincingly confirmed the critical role of this brain region in communication.

The researchers also noted a curious pattern: social contacts arose more frequently between fish whose movements were synchronized. This points to a close link between movement coordination and the drive to interact.

Although the study was conducted on fish, the scientists believe that analogous mechanisms may exist in other vertebrates, including mammals. According to the authors, the findings will help deepen understanding of the nature of social differences between people and may ultimately prove valuable in studying conditions associated with difficulties in communication.