The role of neural tuning in quantity perception

Andromachi Tsouli; Ben M Harvey; Shir Hofstetter; Yuxuan Cai; Maarten J van der Smagt; Susan F Te Pas; Serge O Dumoulin

doi:10.1016/j.tics.2021.10.004

The role of neural tuning in quantity perception

Andromachi Tsouli, Ben M Harvey, Shir Hofstetter, Yuxuan Cai, Maarten J van der Smagt, Susan F Te Pas, Serge O Dumoulin

Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN)

Research output: Contribution to journal/periodical › Article › Scientific › peer-review

20 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Perception of quantities, such as numerosity, timing, and size, is essential for behavior and cognition. Accumulating evidence demonstrates neurons processing quantities are tuned, that is, have a preferred quantity amount, not only for numerosity, but also other quantity dimensions and sensory modalities. We argue that quantity-tuned neurons are fundamental to understanding quantity perception. We illustrate how the properties of quantity-tuned neurons can underlie a range of perceptual phenomena. Furthermore, quantity-tuned neurons are organized in distinct but overlapping topographic maps. We suggest that this overlap in tuning provides the neural basis for perceptual interactions between different quantities, without the need for a common neural representational code.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	11-24
Journal	Trends in Cognitive Sciences
Volume	26
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2021.10.004
Publication status	Published - Jan 2022

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title = "The role of neural tuning in quantity perception",

abstract = "Perception of quantities, such as numerosity, timing, and size, is essential for behavior and cognition. Accumulating evidence demonstrates neurons processing quantities are tuned, that is, have a preferred quantity amount, not only for numerosity, but also other quantity dimensions and sensory modalities. We argue that quantity-tuned neurons are fundamental to understanding quantity perception. We illustrate how the properties of quantity-tuned neurons can underlie a range of perceptual phenomena. Furthermore, quantity-tuned neurons are organized in distinct but overlapping topographic maps. We suggest that this overlap in tuning provides the neural basis for perceptual interactions between different quantities, without the need for a common neural representational code.",

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AU - Tsouli, Andromachi

AU - Harvey, Ben M

AU - Hofstetter, Shir

AU - Cai, Yuxuan

AU - van der Smagt, Maarten J

AU - Te Pas, Susan F

AU - Dumoulin, Serge O

PY - 2022/1

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N2 - Perception of quantities, such as numerosity, timing, and size, is essential for behavior and cognition. Accumulating evidence demonstrates neurons processing quantities are tuned, that is, have a preferred quantity amount, not only for numerosity, but also other quantity dimensions and sensory modalities. We argue that quantity-tuned neurons are fundamental to understanding quantity perception. We illustrate how the properties of quantity-tuned neurons can underlie a range of perceptual phenomena. Furthermore, quantity-tuned neurons are organized in distinct but overlapping topographic maps. We suggest that this overlap in tuning provides the neural basis for perceptual interactions between different quantities, without the need for a common neural representational code.

AB - Perception of quantities, such as numerosity, timing, and size, is essential for behavior and cognition. Accumulating evidence demonstrates neurons processing quantities are tuned, that is, have a preferred quantity amount, not only for numerosity, but also other quantity dimensions and sensory modalities. We argue that quantity-tuned neurons are fundamental to understanding quantity perception. We illustrate how the properties of quantity-tuned neurons can underlie a range of perceptual phenomena. Furthermore, quantity-tuned neurons are organized in distinct but overlapping topographic maps. We suggest that this overlap in tuning provides the neural basis for perceptual interactions between different quantities, without the need for a common neural representational code.

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JO - Trends in Cognitive Sciences

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ER -

The role of neural tuning in quantity perception

Abstract

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