Exploring consciousness in cephalopod molluscs: from practical applications to behavioral indicators

The majority of marine animals globally harvested as seafood are killed with little or no consideration for their welfare. Killing methods used for cephalopods for human consumption include e.g., slicing through the brain, reversing the mantle or asphyxia; none of these cause immediate death and loss of consciousness. The inclusion of these invertebrates in the Directive 2010/63 regulating the use of live animals in research, and concerns about their sentience, are promoting increasing attention to cephalopod welfare in various areas, from scientific research to public awareness. Furthermore, the rich behavioral repertoire and cognitive abilities ravelling mammals, strongly suggest the presence of neural hallmarks of, and multiple dimensions of consciousness. My PhD project is centered around the overarching aim of exploring the existence of consciousness in cephalopods. To achieve this goal I will develop and test the efficacy of mechanical stunning in Octopus vulgaris with the aim of evaluating loss of consciousness or insensitivity. Cerebral concussion is agreed to induce a disruption of the nervous system in vertebrates, resulting in an instantaneous loss of consciousness. I will explore the effects of the stunning, assessing loss of consciousness and insensitivity by electrophysiological recordings(EEG like), and its effects at the morphological level in the nervous system. In addition, I will develop trace conditioning paradigm to possibly identify behavioral indicators of consciousness in octopus.