During daily life, the fish need to bind sensory features to recognize objects and identify preys, siblings, and predators based on such recognition, they interact with the environment by making decisions for proper swimming patterns, to approach prey, follow the siblings, or avoid the predator. We are continuing our research and focusing on binding-problem and decision-making. For example, we found astrocytes, together with neuromodulatory system and inhibitory neurons, mediating “giving up” when behaviors are futile (2019 Cell) we also observed how different sensory inputs converge inside the brain and get categorized (2018 Neuron) we identified a oscillatory circuit guide the animal to organize its behavior when sensory cues are absent (2016 eLife). In the past, with such research paradigms, we already made discoveries, and some are truly surprising.

Joy of fish - specific projects we are studying We are searching for the basic neural mechanisms underlying sensorimotor transformation: how does each individual brain region process sensory information? How do multiple brain regions exchange processed signals with each other, to produce bound information and generate behaviors? What are the operation principles for the brain at both local and global levels? Her brain starts to activate with multiple threads: visual system locates where the rabbit is then memory system recalls the experience from last hunting and concludes that the chance of success is little however, hyperactivity from hunger center in hypothalamus drives the desire of hunting so badly that she decides to roll the dice neuromodulatory system, noradrenergic neurons enhance the arousal level and dopaminergic neurons already anticipate the rewards motor system, under the influence of all others, has made a plan and finally takes the strike… Here is one example: what does the brain do to allow a hungry fox to catch a rabbit? First, the little fox is lucky enough to find a rabbit hiding in the woods. Sensorimotor transformation occurs with the corporation among multiple brain areas.

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