Life on earth is fundamentally interconnected, with microorganisms forming the base of evolutionary interactions. This challenges the traditional view of individuals as single-genetic entities, suggesting instead that living beings are composite multi-species complexes called holobionts. The article introduces the concept of the holobiont mind, a biogenic view of cognition compatible with the 4E approach and holobiont theory. It proposes that mind emerges from the multi-genomic morphology of a composite animal-agent in constant interaction with its ecological niche. Recent evidence on the brain–gut–microbiome axis and the Microbiome of the Built Environment is reviewed to link the Holobiont Mind with the 4E approach to cognition, opening new research avenues with direct impact on health and disease.
Measuring the complexity of human cognition in real-world settings is difficult because traditional lab experiments lack ecological validity. The Mobile Brain/Body Imaging (MoBI) approach addresses this by integrating sensorimotor information, personal experience, and future possibilities. This article argues that MoBI is best understood through the Embodied, Embedded, Extended, and Enactive (4E) framework. It reviews the technological advances enabling MoBI and discusses its strengths and limitations for studying cognition, with an emphasis on the Chilean context.