Can brainless animals learn?

[Darkmisc]

Hi everyone

Are brainless animals such as jellyfish and starfish capable of learning (for example by classical conditioning)?

I would have thought not, but apparently there are plants that are capable of learning. http://www.isciencetimes.com/articl...earn-remember-even-after-weeks-fern-study.htm

Thanks

 

[BillTre]

It seems that they can (see abstract here).
To me, this is not surprising for two reasons:
1) The ability to learn would be adaptive for just about any animal. It allows more appropriate responses to situations selection might not be able to anticipate in building specific nervous system functions for.
2) In theory any nerve net with Hebbian synapses they should be able to learn. By modifying the functions of particular synapses learning can occur. Although they lack centralized brains jellyfish and starfish (now called seastars by some) have nerve nets made of neurons connected by synapses.
3) As these animals grow, their nerve nets would have to modify their functioning to be appropriate to the changing dimensions of their body. Learning could well underlie this and would be simpler than programing hard wired developmental changes in the nervous system to exactly match the changes of their body (which could be influenced by environmental factors like food availability).

 

[Darkmisc]

Cheers. Thanks