The role of neural tuning in quantity perception

• Published in: Trends in cognitive sciences Vol. 26; no. 1; pp. 11 - 24
• Main Authors: Tsouli, Andromachi, Harvey, Ben M., Hofstetter, Shir, Cai, Yuxuan, van der Smagt, Maarten J., te Pas, Susan F., Dumoulin, Serge O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2022
• Subjects: brain and behavior; Humans; Neurons; numerosity; Perception; Photic Stimulation - methods; receptive fields; subitizing; topographic maps; Weber law; Weber law; receptive fields; numerosity; brain and behavior; subitizing; topographic maps
• ISSN: 1364-6613; 1879-307X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2021.10.004

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. Humans and animals share a sense of quantities, such as numerosity, timing, and size, which underlies various cognitive functions.Neural measurements reveal neurons with selective, tuned responses to specific quantities, organized in topographic maps.The tuning properties of quantity-selective neurons link brain and behavior, both explaining and unifying distinct behavioral effects in quantity perception.Traditionally discrete perceptual processes observed in subitizing and estimation numerosity ranges are united into a common framework based on similar neural tuning and neural adaptation effects within the same topographic maps.Perceptual interactions between quantities may emerge from interactions between nearby neural populations, tuned to different quantities and modalities, without mapping these onto a single neural representation.