The holobiont mind: A bridge between 4E-cognition and the microbiome

All life on earth is intrinsically linked. At the very foundation of everyevolutionary interaction are microorganisms; integral components in thecomposition of both organisms and ecosystems. This perspectivechallenges the traditional conception of monogenetic biologicalindividuals, suggesting living beings are actually composite multi-speciescomplexes; holobionts. In the present article, we introduce the conceptof the holobiont mind; a biogenic conception of cognition. Wefurthermore expand on the idea of the mind as the emerging product ofmulti-genomic morphology of a composite agent, in ever changinginteraction with its ecological niche. We briefly review recent evidence onthe Brain-Gut-Microbiome axis and the Microbiome of the BuiltEnvironment in order to provide a bridge between the Holobiont Mindand the 4E approach to Cognition, two complementary lines of evidencethat have not been linked before, opening novel venues for research withdirect impact on health and disease.