How the zebrafish brain weaves recent experiences into future decisions

Nature, Published online: 17 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01756-6
Animals often use recent experience to guide future choices. Whole-brain imaging in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) reveals a dedicated neural circuit that governs history-biased decisions: the thalamus maintains the most recent event as a stable pattern of neuronal activity, and the brainstem integrates recent experiences into a continuous signal that biases future action. ...