I always saw the hormones that regulate our emotions as primitive forms of memory, older than neurons. So an organism can remain in a certain state for a while.

I always saw the hormones that regulate our emotions as primitive forms of memory, older than neurons. So an organism can remain in a certain state for a while. There is also the possibility that RNA is used for memory: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-44111476 https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-44111476