Pathfinding: a neurodynamical account of intuition

Abstract

We examine the neurobiology of intuition, a term often inconsistently defined in scientific literature. While researchers generally agree that intuition represents "an experienced-based process resulting in a spontaneous tendency toward a hunch or hypothesis," we establish a firmer neurobiological foundation by framing intuition evolutionarily as a pathfinding mechanism emerging from the brain's optimization of its relationship with the environment. Our review synthesizes empirical findings on intuition's neurobiological basis, including relevant brain networks and their relationship to cognitive states like insight. We propose that unsolved problems dynamically alter attractor landscapes, guiding future intuitions. We investigate "opportunistic assimilation" through nonlinear neurodynamics and identify hippocampal sharp wave ripples as potential neural correlates of intuition, citing their role in creativity, choice, action planning, and abstract thinking. Finally, we explore intuition through two complementary perspectives: the free energy principle, which models brains as minimizing uncertainty through predictive hierarchical coding, and metastable coordination dynamics, describing the brain's simultaneous tendencies toward regional cooperation and functional autonomy. Together, these principles provide a comprehensive neurodynamical account of intuition's neurophenomenology.

Fig. 1. The neural networks of intuition.

The figure illustrates the distributed neural architecture underlying intuitive cognition, characterized by metastable coordinated activity across multiple brain regions. Key structures include: orbitofrontal cortex (red) integrating sensory-emotional inputs for coherence assessment; anterior cingulate cortex (blue) regulating cognitive transitions; anterior insula (green) processing interoceptive signals; basal ganglia (purple) facilitating implicit pattern recognition; hippocampal-entorhinal complex (orange) mediating experience replay via sharp-wave ripples; amygdala (yellow) incorporating emotional valence in risk evaluation; and precuneus (teal) supporting self-referential processing. Together, these regions form a dynamic network that oscillates between integration and segregation states, with intuition emerging as a product of neurodynamical coordination that minimizes uncertainty through rapid action-path prediction and selection.

Fig. 2. A neurodynamical framework of intuition within the action-perception cycle.

The schematic depicts how intuitive cognition emerges through the dynamic integration of sensory and motor hierarchies. The central dynamic attractor landscape represents the internal model that integrates sensory input and motor output to facilitate intuitive judgments and decision-making. The sharp wave ripple inlet symbolizes hippocampal contributions, combining past experiences with present stimuli to shape predictions and pathfinding. The framework is grounded in the interaction with the external environment, highlighting the embodied and predictive nature of intuition.