Memristive model of amoeba's learning

TL;DR

This paper models amoeba-like learning behavior using an electronic circuit with a memristor, providing insights into primitive intelligence and potential biological origins of memristive properties.

Contribution

It introduces a memristive circuit model that replicates amoeba learning and suggests biological sources for memristive behavior in cells.

Findings

The memristive circuit mimics amoeba's anticipatory behavior.

Biological memristive behavior may originate from cellular mechanisms.

The model offers a framework to understand primitive intelligence in organisms.

Abstract

Recently, it was shown that the amoeba-like cell {\it Physarum polycephalum} when exposed to a pattern of periodic environmental changes learns and adapts its behavior in anticipation of the next stimulus to come. Here we show that such behavior can be mapped into the response of a simple electronic circuit consisting of an $LC$ contour and a memory-resistor (a memristor) to a train of voltage pulses that mimic environment changes. We also identify a possible biological origin of the memristive behavior in the cell. These biological memory features are likely to occur in other unicellular as well as multicellular organisms, albeit in different forms. Therefore, the above memristive circuit model, which has learning properties, is useful to better understand the origins of primitive intelligence.