Sensorimotor integration enhances temperature stimulus processing

Animals optimize behavior by integrating sensory input with motor actions. We hypothesized that coupling thermosensory information with motor output enhances the brain’s capacity to process temperature changes, leading to more precise and adaptive behaviors. To test this, we developed a virtual “thermal plaid” environment where zebrafish either actively controlled temperature changes (sensorimotor feedback) or passively experienced the same thermal fluctuations. Our findings demonstrate that sensorimotor feedback amplifies the influence of thermal stimuli on swim initiation, resulting in more structured and organized motor output. We show that previously identified mixed-selectivity neurons that simultaneously encode thermal cues and motor activity enable the integration of sensory and motor feedback to optimize behavior. These results highlight the role of sensorimotor integration in refining thermosensory processing, revealing critical neural mechanisms underlying flexible thermoregulatory behavior. Our study offers new insights into how animals adaptively process environmental stimuli and adjust their actions, contributing to a deeper understanding of the neural circuits driving goal-directed behavior in dynamic environments.