Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory01:26

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory

2.4K
Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or...
2.4K
Cognitive Learning01:21

Cognitive Learning

1.6K
Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
1.6K
Prokaryotic Cells01:51

Prokaryotic Cells

144.4K
Prokaryotes are small unicellular organisms that include the domains—Archaea and Bacteria. Bacteria include many common organisms, such as Salmonella and E. coli, while the Archaea include extremophiles that live in harsh environments, such as volcanic springs.
Like eukaryotic cells, all prokaryotic cells are surrounded by a plasma membrane, have genetic material in the form of single, circular DNA, a cytoplasm that fills the interior of the cell, and ribosomes that synthesize proteins....
144.4K
Prokaryotic Cells01:28

Prokaryotic Cells

53.4K
Prokaryotes are small unicellular organisms that include the domains — Archaea and Bacteria. Bacteria include many common microorganisms, such as Salmonella and E. coli, while the Archaea include extremophiles that live in harsh environments, such as volcanic springs.
Like eukaryotic cells, all prokaryotic cells are surrounded by a plasma membrane, have genetic material in the form of single, circular DNA, a cytoplasm that fills the interior of the cell, and ribosomes that synthesize...
53.4K
Prokaryotic cells01:51

Prokaryotic cells

23.4K
23.4K
Evolutionary Processes in Microbes01:26

Evolutionary Processes in Microbes

189
Microbial evolution occurs rapidly due to short generation times and a variety of genetic processes, including horizontal gene transfer, mutation, recombination, and genetic drift. These mechanisms collectively enable microbes to adapt swiftly to changing environments.Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) allows genes to move between different species and occurs through three main mechanisms: conjugation, transformation, and transduction. Conjugation involves direct cell-to-cell contact for DNA...
189

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Cooperative traits maintain bacterial niche breadth.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

A New Classification Framework to Understand Evolutionary Transitions in Individuality.

BioEssays : news and reviews in molecular, cellular and developmental biology·2026
Same author

Presence of a biofilm beneficiary alters the evolutionary trajectory of a biofilm former.

The ISME journal·2025
Same author

Disentangling microbial interaction networks.

Trends in microbiology·2025
Same author

Real-world usage pattern, effectiveness and safety of oral tramadol/dexketoprofen trometamol fixed-dose combination in moderate-to-severe acute pain in Asia: a prospective, multicentre, observational study.

BMJ open·2024
Same author

REKOVER study protocol: a pRospective patient treatment rEgistry of tramadol and dexKetoprofen trometamol oral fixed-dose combination (SKUDEXA) in mOderate to seVere acutE pain in Real-world setting in Asia.

BMJ open·2024
Same journal

Environmental microbes as modulators of plant volatile landscapes: Implications for plant-insect chemical communication.

Trends in microbiology·2026
Same journal

Beyond AMGs: Phage-encoded transcription and sigma factors as understudied virocell reprogramming tools.

Trends in microbiology·2026
Same journal

Cronobacter spp.

Trends in microbiology·2026
Same journal

Anaerobic lignin deconstruction: A game changer for lignocellulosic biorefineries.

Trends in microbiology·2026
Same journal

Critical role of the inflammatory rheostat in influenza-associated pulmonary aspergillosis.

Trends in microbiology·2026
Same journal

Structure-based prokaryotic transcription shapes adaptation and host-invader interplay.

Trends in microbiology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 20, 2026

C. elegans Positive Butanone Learning, Short-term, and Long-term Associative Memory Assays
09:58

C. elegans Positive Butanone Learning, Short-term, and Long-term Associative Memory Assays

Published on: March 11, 2011

30.9K

Cognition without brains? Learning and memory in microorganisms.

Andreas Messer1, Leonardo Oña1, Christian Kost1

  • 1Department of Ecology, School of Biology/Chemistry, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück 49076, Germany.

Trends in Microbiology
|April 18, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Microorganisms may exhibit learning-like behaviors, challenging traditional views. This review proposes frameworks to compare microbial cognition with established cognitive science concepts, aiding research in microbial learning.

Keywords:
cognitionengramlearningmemorymicroorganisms

More Related Videos

In Vivo Optical Calcium Imaging of Learning-Induced Synaptic Plasticity in Drosophila melanogaster
06:35

In Vivo Optical Calcium Imaging of Learning-Induced Synaptic Plasticity in Drosophila melanogaster

Published on: October 8, 2019

9.9K
Aversive Associative Learning and Memory Formation by Pairing Two Chemicals in Caenorhabditis elegans
07:17

Aversive Associative Learning and Memory Formation by Pairing Two Chemicals in Caenorhabditis elegans

Published on: June 23, 2022

3.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 20, 2026

C. elegans Positive Butanone Learning, Short-term, and Long-term Associative Memory Assays
09:58

C. elegans Positive Butanone Learning, Short-term, and Long-term Associative Memory Assays

Published on: March 11, 2011

30.9K
In Vivo Optical Calcium Imaging of Learning-Induced Synaptic Plasticity in Drosophila melanogaster
06:35

In Vivo Optical Calcium Imaging of Learning-Induced Synaptic Plasticity in Drosophila melanogaster

Published on: October 8, 2019

9.9K
Aversive Associative Learning and Memory Formation by Pairing Two Chemicals in Caenorhabditis elegans
07:17

Aversive Associative Learning and Memory Formation by Pairing Two Chemicals in Caenorhabditis elegans

Published on: June 23, 2022

3.1K

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Microbial Cognition

Background:

  • Memory and learning are typically linked to complex nervous systems.
  • Emerging research suggests microorganisms may exhibit learning-like behaviors.
  • A lack of standardized frameworks hinders comparison between microbial and cognitive science discoveries.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To bridge the gap between microbial behavior and cognitive science.
  • To provide definitional requirements for classifying microbial memory and learning.
  • To address conceptual ambiguities in microbial cognition literature.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual review of existing literature.
  • Analysis of definitional requirements for memory and learning.
  • Identification of ambiguities in microbial cognition research.

Main Results:

  • Proposes a conceptual framework for microbial learning and memory.
  • Identifies and addresses sources of conceptual ambiguity.
  • Offers a novel perspective on inter-microbial learning.

Conclusions:

  • Establishing clear definitions is crucial for advancing microbial cognition research.
  • Standardized frameworks will facilitate productive debate and comparison.
  • Microbial learning may involve mechanisms for information transfer between individuals.