Cephalopod Behavior: From Neural Plasticity to Consciousness.
Giovanna Ponte, Cinzia Chiandetti, David B. Edelman, Pamela Imperadore, Eleonora Maria Pieroni, Graziano Fiorito
Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience April 12, 2022 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2021.787139 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Neuroplasticity |
| Keywords | Cognition Cephalopods Consciousness Behavioral plasticity |
| Key findings | Argues that cephalopods, particularly the octopus, provide a unique invertebrate test case for examining conditions that may afford a basal faculty of consciousness, based on their learning and memory abilities, neural substrates analogous to thalamus and cortex, and neurophysiological dynamics resembling conscious states in mammals. The authors highlight the current lack of evidence and call for further research. |
Abstract
It is only in recent decades that subjective experience - or consciousness - has become a legitimate object of scientific inquiry. As such, it represents perhaps the greatest challenge facing neuroscience today. Subsumed within this challenge is the study of subjective experience in non-human animals: a particularly difficult endeavor that becomes even more so, as one crosses the great evolutionary divide between vertebrate and invertebrate phyla. Here, we explore the possibility of consciousness in one group of invertebrates: cephalopod molluscs. We believe such a review is timely, particularly considering cephalopods' impressive learning and memory abilities, rich behavioral repertoire, and the relative complexity of their nervous systems and sensory capabilities. Indeed, in some cephalopods, these abilities are so sophisticated that they are comparable to those of some higher vertebrates. Following the criteria and framework outlined for the identification of hallmarks of consciousness in non-mammalian species, here we propose that cephalopods - particularly the octopus - provide a unique test case among invertebrates for examining the properties and conditions that, at the very least, afford a basal faculty of consciousness. These include, among others: (i) discriminatory and anticipatory behaviors indicating a strong link between perception and memory recall; (ii) the presence of neural substrates representing functional analogs of thalamus and cortex; (iii) the neurophysiological dynamics resembling the functional signatures of conscious states in mammals. We highlight the current lack of evidence as well as potentially informative areas that warrant further investigation to support the view expressed here. Finally, we identify future research directions for the study of consciousness in these tantalizing animals.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on neuroplasticity, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A neurotrophic hypothesis of depression: role of synaptogenesis in the actions of NMDA receptor antagonists | 2012 | Review | |
| Towards an understanding of psychedelic-induced neuroplasticity. Review of preclinical and clinical studies | 2023 | Review | |
| Buddha's Brain: Neuroplasticity and Meditation [In the Spotlight] | 2008 | Review | |
| Neuroplasticity as a convergent mechanism of ketamine and classical psychedelics | 2021 | Review | |
| Psychedelics in Psychiatry: Neuroplastic, Immunomodulatory, and Neurotransmitter Mechanisms | 2020 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- It’s Cells All the Way Down October 5, 2023
- Attribution of consciousness to non-human animals: insights from AI and multidimensional frameworks. Frontiers in Psychology May 12, 2026
- Illuminating consciousness. Frontiers in Psychology 2026
- Perspectivas del estudio de la consciencia: aproximación desde las ciencias de la complejidad y la biología evolutiva Entreciencias diálogos en la Sociedad del Conocimiento March 4, 2024
- The Cellular Basis of Consciousness (CBC) October 5, 2023
and 1 more in the library
Cites 11
- Dimensions of Animal Consciousness. Trends in Cognitive Sciences August 20, 2020
- Consciousness in humans and non-human animals: recent advances and future directions Frontiers in Psychology 2013
- Biology of Consciousness Frontiers in Psychology 2011
- Phenomenal Consciousness and Emergence: Eliminating the Explanatory Gap. Frontiers in Psychology 2020
- Consciousness depends on integration between parietal cortex, striatum and thalamus Cell Systems March 12, 2021
and 6 more in the library