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Updated: Feb 23, 2026

Wide-Field, Real-Time Imaging of Local and Systemic Wound Signals in Arabidopsis

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Published on: June 4, 2021

Are plants sentient?

Paco Calvo^1,2, Vaidurya Pratap Sahi³, Anthony Trewavas¹

¹Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JH, UK.

Plant, Cell & Environment

|September 7, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Plants may possess a rudimentary form of "mental state" through their complex plant nervous system. This bioelectric network could enable prioritization of responses to environmental signals, akin to animal feelings.

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Area of Science:

Plant neurobiology
Bioelectricity
Plant signaling

Background:

Animal feelings are mental states coordinating physiological functions and behavior, originating in the brain stem.
Plants exhibit coordinated physiological activities for environmental responses but lack a known mechanism for prioritizing competing signals.
Plants possess a complex, interconnected nervous system based on action potentials transmitted via phloem conduits.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the potential for plant nervous systems to develop emergent mental states.
To investigate if plant bioelectric networks can prioritize responses to diverse environmental signals.
To understand the role of bioelectric fields in plant phenotypic plasticity and behavioral independence.

Main Methods:

Comparative analysis of animal and plant nervous systems.
Theoretical exploration of emergent properties in plant bioelectric networks.
Review of existing literature on plant signaling and plasticity.

Main Results:

Plant nervous systems, utilizing action potentials and a complex network, present a theoretical basis for emergent mental states.
The plant nervous system's widespread network allows for whole-plant assessment and prioritization of environmental signals.
Local bioelectric fields may instruct plant behavior, contributing to phenotypic plasticity and adaptive responses.

Conclusions:

The plant nervous system's structure suggests a potential for prioritizing responses to environmental stimuli.
Bioelectric fields play a crucial role in mediating plant plasticity and adaptive behaviors.
Further research is needed to confirm the existence and function of plant mental states.