Behavioral and Brain Sciences
2026
Henry Shevlin
Abstract Seth mounts a rich and persuasive case that human consciousness cannot be understood without life’s distinctive machinery – autopoiesis, allostatic control, predictive processing under the free-energy principle, and substrate-entangled dynamics. I agree that this undercuts the expectation that humanlike consciousness will “come for free” with more intelligent machines. However, we...
Soil use and management
2026
Yacouba Ouedraogo, J. Taonda, Idriss Sermé et al.
Fertiliser microdosing (FM) is widely promoted in sub‐Saharan Africa as a means to improve fertiliser use efficiency in cereal crops. However, combining organic amendments with FM could further increase the agronomic efficiency of the latter because of possible synergies between both practices. This study therefore evaluated whether combining FM with organic amendments enhanced fertiliser use...
Behavioral and Brain Sciences
2026
Simon Bowes
Abstract Digital computation may not be sufficient for consciousness, but this does not warrant biological naturalism. Rejecting coarse-grained Turing-computational functionalism and adopting a broader computationalism with no built-in syntax/semantics distinction, undermines the motivation for biological naturalism. Substrate-dependent processes of the kind found in living things may be...
Behavioral and Brain Sciences
2026
Jonathan Birch
Abstract Seth’s case for biological naturalism rests on a worryingly speculative foundation: the free energy principle. Arguments for computational functionalism are likewise speculative. Yet I am optimistic that the clash can be resolved empirically. Alleged dependencies of consciousness markers on biological properties can be tested comparatively, and a pattern of failed predictions would...
2026
James Mensch
This book approaches the mind-body problem from the perspective of an extended phenomenological analysis of consciousness. Its goal is to show how the very definition of mind involves embodiment. Just as words cannot be defined without syllables, and syllables without the letters composing them, the sense of consciousness includes its embodiment. The two, it is argued, are not definitionally...
2026
Josephine Jörke, Lena Erdmann, Michael A. Rapp et al.
preprint
High ventilation breathwork (HVB) has received growing interest as a potential therapeutic tool in the context of the psychedelic renaissance and the expanding scientific research on mind–body practices. It involves intentionally increasing the speed and/or depth of breathing and is often conducted in groups, guided by facilitators and accompanied by evocative music. HVB has been reported to...
OHSU Digital Commons
2026
Randall J. Olson
This dissertation presents three interlocking empirical studies united by a single dynamical systems framework: that behavioral flexibility depends on the moment-to-moment timing of frontal cortical state transitions by a reciprocally coupled subcortical circuit, and that this timing mechanism can be pathologically disrupted or pharmacologically restored.
Canadian journal of physiology and pharmacology
January 1, 2026
Ting Xu, Chao Zhang, Yang Yang et al.
Beyond its antidepressant effects, esketamine (ESK) has the potential to enhance neuroplasticity, facilitating the reconnection with emotional and cognitive processes, improving social cognition, and promoting resilience. However, not much is known about its role in Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study aims to explore the potential mechanism of ESK in AD treatment. The potential targets of ESK...
2026
Mayank Singh
preprint
A philosophical investigation into loneliness, attachment, conditioning, sexuality, and the repetitive psychological structure of human relationship. Through existential phenomenology and philosophy of consciousness, the paper explores how human beings seek escape from existential isolation through emotional and sexual union, while simultaneously reinforcing psychological dependency,...
Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health
2026
Yan Ma, Wilfred Wing Fung Sin, Kristen M. Kraemer et al.
Despite the dramatic growth in the number of clinical trials of meditation and/or mindfulness-based interventions (MMBIs), most trials focus on self-reported or psychological outcomes, less is known about the potential neuroplastic effects of MMBI practice and benefits for brain health. In this review, we aimed to map the extent and nature of existing research on this topic, identify...