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      On Having No Head: Cognition throughout Biological Systems

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          Abstract

          The central nervous system (CNS) underlies memory, perception, decision-making, and behavior in numerous organisms. However, neural networks have no monopoly on the signaling functions that implement these remarkable algorithms. It is often forgotten that neurons optimized cellular signaling modes that existed long before the CNS appeared during evolution, and were used by somatic cellular networks to orchestrate physiology, embryonic development, and behavior. Many of the key dynamics that enable information processing can, in fact, be implemented by different biological hardware. This is widely exploited by organisms throughout the tree of life. Here, we review data on memory, learning, and other aspects of cognition in a range of models, including single celled organisms, plants, and tissues in animal bodies. We discuss current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms at work in these systems, and suggest several hypotheses for future investigation. The study of cognitive processes implemented in aneural contexts is a fascinating, highly interdisciplinary topic that has many implications for evolution, cell biology, regenerative medicine, computer science, and synthetic bioengineering.

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          The free-energy principle: a unified brain theory?

          A free-energy principle has been proposed recently that accounts for action, perception and learning. This Review looks at some key brain theories in the biological (for example, neural Darwinism) and physical (for example, information theory and optimal control theory) sciences from the free-energy perspective. Crucially, one key theme runs through each of these theories - optimization. Furthermore, if we look closely at what is optimized, the same quantity keeps emerging, namely value (expected reward, expected utility) or its complement, surprise (prediction error, expected cost). This is the quantity that is optimized under the free-energy principle, which suggests that several global brain theories might be unified within a free-energy framework.
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            The Chemical Basis of Morphogenesis

            A Turing (1952)
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              The role of stomata in sensing and driving environmental change.

              Stomata, the small pores on the surfaces of leaves and stalks, regulate the flow of gases in and out of leaves and thus plants as a whole. They adapt to local and global changes on all timescales from minutes to millennia. Recent data from diverse fields are establishing their central importance to plant physiology, evolution and global ecology. Stomatal morphology, distribution and behaviour respond to a spectrum of signals, from intracellular signalling to global climatic change. Such concerted adaptation results from a web of control systems, reminiscent of a 'scale-free' network, whose untangling requires integrated approaches beyond those currently used.
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                Author and article information

                Contributors
                Journal
                Front Psychol
                Front Psychol
                Front. Psychol.
                Frontiers in Psychology
                Frontiers Media S.A.
                1664-1078
                21 June 2016
                2016
                : 7
                : 902
                Affiliations
                [1] 1Department of Plant Cell Biology, IZMB, University of Bonn Bonn, Germany
                [2] 2Biology Department, Tufts Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology, Tufts University Medford, MA, USA
                Author notes

                Edited by: Eddy J. Davelaar, Birkbeck, University of London, UK

                Reviewed by: Vassilis Cutsuridis, Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas, Greece; Jack Adam Tuszynski, University of Alberta, Canada

                *Correspondence: Michael Levin, michael.levin@ 123456tufts.edu

                This article was submitted to Cognitive Science, a section of the journal Frontiers in Psychology

                Article
                10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00902
                4914563
                27445884
                801b5430-2617-484b-80cd-311c504b826f
                Copyright © 2016 Baluška and Levin.

                This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

                History
                : 31 May 2016
                Page count
                Figures: 3, Tables: 0, Equations: 0, References: 302, Pages: 19, Words: 0
                Funding
                Funded by: John Templeton Foundation 10.13039/100000925
                Award ID: TWCF0089/AB55
                Funded by: G Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation 10.13039/100001229
                Categories
                Psychology
                Review

                Clinical Psychology & Psychiatry
                aneural,cognition,plants,bioelectric signaling,computation,memory,information,learning

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