The FitMind Podcast: Mental Fitness, Neuroscience & Psychology #104: Intelligence Beyond the Brain - Nikolay Kukushkin, PhD
Jul 15, 2025
Dr. Nikolay Kukushkin, a neuroscientist researching cellular cognition and memory, dives into groundbreaking discoveries about non-neuronal cells. He discusses how these cells can recognize patterns and store information, expanding our understanding of memory beyond the brain. The conversation touches on lessons from sea slugs that illuminate human cognition and the potential impacts of trauma being stored in cells. Dr. Kukushkin also explores the fascinating parallels between AI and biological intelligence, challenging traditional views of consciousness and memory.
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Sea Slugs Reveal Neuronal Memory
- Researchers studied sea slugs to understand simple memory formation in neurons.
- They found single neurons can distinguish patterns and escalating event intensities, showing basic cognitive abilities.
Cells Beyond Neurons Learn Patterns
- Non-neuronal cells can distinguish detailed chemical patterns and timing.
- Even kidney cells can tell apart spaced pulses from crammed ones, showing unexpected 'cellular intelligence.'
Redefining Memory Beyond Brains
- Memory should be taken literally at cellular levels, not just for brains.
- Differentiating "real" memory from cellular memory is subjective bias; memory is a spectrum of complexity.
