Brainless but Multi-Headed: Decision Making by the Acellular Slime Mould Physarum polycephalum

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Behavioral Ecology
• Computational Biology

Background:

• The acellular slime mould, Physarum polycephalum, is a long-standing model organism due to its unique biology and ease of culture.
• Its macroscopic, syncytial nature makes it valuable for cell biology studies.
• Recent research has expanded its use into behavioral ecology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the decision-making capabilities of Physarum polycephalum.
• To explore whether its complex behaviors offer fundamental insights into decision-making processes.
• To assess if these behaviors are merely "cute" or indicative of deeper biological principles.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on Physarum polycephalum's behavior.
• Analysis of studies demonstrating problem-solving, network optimization, and foraging decisions.
• Examination of research on its nutrient balancing and seemingly irrational behaviors.

Main Results:

• Physarum polycephalum demonstrates sophisticated behaviors without a central nervous system.
• It can find shortest paths, create human-comparable efficient networks, and solve complex computational puzzles.
• The organism makes multi-objective foraging decisions, balances nutrient intake, and exhibits irrational behavior.

Conclusions:

• The complex decision-making abilities of Physarum polycephalum challenge conventional understanding of biological intelligence.
• These behaviors may reflect fundamental principles underlying decision-making across diverse organisms.
• Further investigation is warranted to understand the mechanisms and implications of these slime mould behaviors.