This perspective article challenges the traditional view that categorization is a final stage of perception occurring after feature detection and memory retrieval. Instead, the authors propose that categorization is an integral computational strategy implemented throughout all stages of neural signal processing. By utilizing predictive feedback signals to organize feedforward processing, the brain creates a neural context that enables continuous grouping of objects, actions, or events into equivalence clusters.
Key points include:
- Categorization occurs from the beginning of signal processing rather than as an end stage.
- The role of predictive feedback in creating a neural context for organization.
- Evidence drawn from neuroanatomy, electrophysiology, and cognitive science.
- Implications for understanding neuropsychiatric disorders and future research directions.
Key points include:
- Categorization occurs from the beginning of signal processing rather than as an end stage.
- The role of predictive feedback in creating a neural context for organization.
- Evidence drawn from neuroanatomy, electrophysiology, and cognitive science.
- Implications for understanding neuropsychiatric disorders and future research directions.
Thigmotaxis is a behavioral response to tactile stimuli, referring to an organism's movement in reaction to physical contact with surfaces or objects. It manifests as wall‑following or centrophobic behavior, where animals tend to stay near perimeters in enclosed spaces. The response is genetically grounded and observed across species, including rodents, insects, and fish. Positive thigmotaxis involves moving toward or staying in contact with a surface, often for shelter or safety, while negative thigmotaxis involves moving away from contact. Mechanisms involve mechanoreceptors such as tactile receptors in vertebrates or setae and antennae in invertebrates, which relay sensory input to the nervous system to trigger motor responses. Researchers use thigmotaxis as an assay for anxiety, stress, and navigation in animal models.
