"Zeroing" in on mathematics in the monkey brain.
A new study documented that monkeys showed selective neuronal responding to the concept of zero during a numerical task, and that there were two distinct classes of neurons that coded the absence of stimuli either through a discrete activation pattern (zero or not zero) or a continuous one for which zero was integrated with other numerosities in the relative rate of activity. These data indicate that monkeys, like humans, have a concept of zero that is part of their analog number line but that also may have unique properties compared to other numerosities.
Department of Psychology and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, PO Box 5010, Atlanta, GA, 30302, USA. mjberan@yahoo.com.
Michael J
MJ
Beran
D000818:Animals; D000882:Haplorhini / Q000523:psychology*; D008433:Mathematics; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*