🧬 LIVER–BRAIN CO-EVOLUTION HYPOTHESIS (LBC v1.7) The Liver–Brain Co-evolution Hypothesis (v2.1) presents a unified systems-biology framework in which the liver is identified as the primordial intelligent organ—the first controller of internal chemistry from which neural cognition evolved. Across its Companions (B-series) and Supplements (D-series), the LBC corpus re-interprets physiology, medicine, and consciousness through control-theoretic logic: the liver operates as a proportional–integral–derivative (PID) regulator maintaining internal homeostasis, while the brain extends this predictive control to the external world. The essays collectively demonstrate that intelligence began as metabolic prediction, later mirrored by neural anticipation. They explore themes from thermogenesis and regeneration to pharmacological interference, addiction, ecological integrity, and even electrochemical disturbance by metals. The goal is integrative: to realign biology, medicine, and philosophy around the principle that life itself is a feedback system learning to maintain harmony between chemistry, energy, and consciousness. Master Companion & Supplement Register (updated 2025 November 16)All works © Emile S. van der Merwe • CC BY 4.0 License • Independent Research Series A – FOUNDATIONS / MAIN THESIS ID Full Title Short Footer Title Theme Group Version A1 The Liver Was the First Brain: The Liver–Brain Co-evolution Hypothesis The Liver Was the First Brain Foundations / Main Thesis v1.1 (2025-11) LBC Companion Series — Master Table ID Full Title Short Footer Title Theme Group Version A2 The Liver’s Uniqueness: The First Intelligent Organ in Evolution The First Intelligent Organ Foundations / Evolution v1.0 B01 Fix the Regulator: The Liver as the Gateway to Chronic Disease Reversal Fix the Regulator Applications / Medicine v1.0 B02 Fever as Hepatic Thermogenesis Fever as Hepatic Thermogenesis Function / Control Loops v1.0 B03 Cancer as a Loss of Liver–Brain Coherence Cancer as Loss of Coherence Failure / Regulation Breakdown v1.0 B04 Predictive Self-Reference Principle (PSRP™) Predictive Self-Reference Principle Meta-Cognition / Philosophy v1.0 B05 The Fine-Tuned Intelligence Principle Fine-Tuned Intelligence Principle Foundations / Evolution Physics v1.0 B06 The Soul as Informational Continuity Soul as Informational Continuity Philosophy / Continuity v1.0 B07 Pharmacological Interference and Biochemical Intelligence Pharmacological Interference Medicine / Regulation Noise v1.0 B08 Anesthesia and the LBC Hypothesis Anesthesia and LBC Consciousness / Boundary States v1.0 B09 Hepatic Thermogenesis Mini-Review Hepatic Thermogenesis Review Literature / Validation v1.0 B10 Evolutionary Stability Function (ESF) Evolutionary Stability Function Theory / Mathematical Framework v1.0 B11 From Chemical Self-Regulation to Conscious Self-Awareness Chemical → Conscious Awareness Foundations / Cognitive Transition v1.0 B12 The Liver as the Thermal Set-Point of Life Liver as Thermal Set-Point Thermodynamics v1.0 B13 The Liver as the Source of Fever Liver as Source of Fever Control Theory / Physiology v1.0 B14 The Regenerative Intelligence of the Liver Regenerative Intelligence Healing / Predictive Homeostasis v1.0 B15 Prescription vs Restoration: Redefining Healing Through LBC Prescription vs Restoration Medicine / Ethics v1.0 B16 The Hepatic–Neural Thermal Equilibrium Hypothesis Thermal Equilibrium Hypothesis Thermodynamics / Intelligence Link v1.0 B17 The Gut–Brain–Liver Axis: Predictive Integration Gut–Brain–Liver Axis Systems Integration / Tri-Loop Control v1.0 B18 Metallic Resonance: How Oral Electrochemistry Disrupts the Liver–Brain Axis Metallic Resonance Environmental Perturbation / Neurodegeneration v1.0 B19 Diabetes as a Breakdown of Liver–Brain Coherence Diabetes and LBC Metabolic Failure v1.0 B20 A Systems-Biology Critique of Virology Through the Lens of LBC LBC Critique of Virology Foundations / SM2.1 Analysis v1.0 B21 Strong as a Lion: Metabolic Strength and Hepatic Stability Strong as a Lion Applied Physiology v1.0 B22 Plant-Based Nutrition Through the Lens of LBC Plant-Based Nutrition and LBC Dietary Physiology v1.0 B23 Seed Oils: A Breakdown of Liver Control Seed Oils Nutrition / Hepatic Stress v1.0 B24 Bipolar Disorder as an Oscillatory Breakdown of Liver Control Bipolar Oscillation Model Neuro-Metabolic Cycles v1.0 B25 Depression as a Breakdown of Predictive Homeostasis Depression and Homeostasis Predictive Regulation v1.0 B26 Hypomania as a Temporary Loss of Liver Predictive Stability Hypomania and LBC Mood Dynamics / Coherence v1.0 B27 The Hepatic Portal System — Evolutionary Proof the Liver Was the First Intelligent Organ Portal System Evolution Foundations / Evolution v1.0 B28 Psoriasis Through the Lens of Liver–Brain Co-evolution Psoriasis Immune / Inflammatory Coherence v1.0 B29 Cardiac Arrest and the LBC Triad Collapse Cardiac Arrest and LBC Failure / Acute Events v1.0 B30 Emulsifiers and Their Impact on the Liver–Brain Axis Emulsifiers Environmental / Dietary Disruptors v1.0 B31 Osteoporosis — An LBC Perspective Osteoporosis Systemic Degeneration v1.0 📘 LBC Companion Series — Theme Group Map (Full System Overview) The map is arranged by Theme Group, showing how each companion fits into the architecture of the Liver–Brain Co-evolution framework. 1. Foundations & Evolution (Core Theory of LBC) (Explains why the liver was the first intelligent organ and how cognition evolved from biochemical control.) ID Full Title Short Footer Title Version A2 The Liver’s Uniqueness: The First Intelligent Organ in Evolution The First Intelligent Organ v1.0 B05 The Fine-Tuned Intelligence Principle Fine-Tuned Intelligence Principle v1.0 B11 From Chemical Self-Regulation to Conscious Self-Awareness Chemical → Conscious Awareness v1.0 B20 A Systems-Biology Critique of Virology Through the Lens of LBC LBC Critique of Virology v1.0 B27 The Hepatic Portal System — Evolutionary Proof the Liver Was the First Intelligent Organ Portal System Evolution v1.0 2. Foundations / Evolution Physics & Mathematical Frameworks (Formal structure, physical principles, evolutionary ratios.) ID Full Title Short Footer Title Version B10 Evolutionary Stability Function (ESF) Evolutionary Stability Function v1.0 3. Foundations / Cognitive Transition & Philosophy (Bridges biochemical intelligence to mind, self-reference, and continuity.) ID Full Title Short Footer Title Version B04 Predictive Self-Reference Principle (PSRP™) Predictive Self-Reference Principle v1.0 B06 The Soul as Informational Continuity Soul as Informational Continuity v1.0 4. Foundations / Cognitive & Consciousness Boundary States ID Full Title Short Footer Title Version B08 Anesthesia and the LBC Hypothesis Anesthesia and LBC v1.0 5. Thermodynamics & Temperature Regulation (Thermal intelligence, set-points, fever, heat as regulation.) ID Full Title Short Footer Title Version B12 The Liver as the Thermal Set-Point of Life Liver as Thermal Set-Point v1.0 B02 Fever as Hepatic Thermogenesis Fever as Hepatic Thermogenesis v1.0 B13 The Liver as the Source of Fever Liver as Source of Fever v1.0 B16 The Hepatic–Neural Thermal Equilibrium Hypothesis Thermal Equilibrium Hypothesis v1.0 6. Systems Integration / Tri-Loop Control (Gut–Liver–Brain loops and metabolic coherence.) ID Full Title Short Footer Title Version B17 The Gut–Brain–Liver Axis: Predictive Integration Gut–Brain–Liver Axis v1.0 7. Medicine / Clinical Applications (Where LBC intersects with real-world disease reversal.) ID Full Title Short Footer Title Version B01 Fix the Regulator: The Liver as the Gateway to Chronic Disease Reversal Fix the Regulator v1.0 B07 Pharmacological Interference and Biochemical Intelligence Pharmacological Interference v1.0 B15 Prescription vs Restoration: Redefining Healing Through LBC Prescription vs Restoration v1.0 8. Failure Modes / Regulation Breakdown (When liver intelligence collapses → modern diseases.) ID Full Title Short Footer Title Version B03 Cancer as a Loss of Liver–Brain Coherence Cancer as Loss of Coherence v1.0 B19 Diabetes as a Breakdown of Liver–Brain Coherence Diabetes and LBC v1.0 B29 Cardiac Arrest and the LBC Triad Collapse Cardiac Arrest and LBC v1.0 9. Mood & Cognitive Oscillation Disorders (Liver-driven psychiatric dynamics.) ID Full Title Short Footer Title Version B24 Bipolar Disorder as an Oscillatory Breakdown of Liver Control Bipolar Oscillation Model v1.0 B26 Hypomania as a Temporary Loss of Liver Predictive Stability Hypomania and LBC v1.0 B25 Depression as a Breakdown of Predictive Homeostasis Depression and Homeostasis v1.0 10. Nutrition / Energy / Metabolism (Diet as liver input—carnivore, plant-based, toxins, additives.) 10A. Dietary Physiology & Metabolic Strength ID Title Short Version B21 Strong as a Lion: Metabolic Strength and Hepatic Stability Strong as a Lion v1.0 B22 Plant-Based Nutrition Through the Lens of LBC Plant-Based Nutrition and LBC v1.0 B23 Seed Oils: A Breakdown of Liver Control Seed Oils v1.0 10B. Environmental / Dietary Disruptors ID Title Short Version B30 Emulsifiers and Their Impact on the Liver–Brain Axis Emulsifiers v1.0 11. Environmental Perturbation & Toxicology (Metals, oral electrochemistry, pollution effects.) ID Full Title Short Footer Title Version B18 Metallic Resonance: How Oral Electrochemistry Disrupts the Liver–Brain Axis Metallic Resonance v1.0 12. Immune / Inflammatory Coherence (Autoimmune, inflammatory cycles driven by liver.) ID Full Title Short Footer Title Version B28 Psoriasis Through the Lens of Liver–Brain Co-evolution Psoriasis v1.0 13. Systemic Degeneration / Aging ID Full Title Short Footer Title Version B31 Osteoporosis — An LBC Perspective Osteoporosis v1.0 14. Literature / Validation (Scientific anchoring & external confirmation.) ID Full Title Short Footer Title Version B09 Hepatic Thermogenesis Mini-Review Hepatic Thermogenesis Review v1.0 D – SUPPLEMENT SERIES (Applied, Integrative & Translational) ID Full Title Short Footer Title Theme Group Version D01 Addiction as a Disorder of Dysregulated Homeostasis: Fixing the Liver to Heal the Mind Addiction & Homeostasis Clinical / Behavioural Application v1.0 D02 Clean Liver, Clean World Clean Liver, Clean World Ecology / Holistic Governance v1.0 D03 Ethanol Dependence and Withdrawal as Homeostatic Drift Ethanol Dependence Addiction / SM 2.1 Analysis v1.0 D04 The LBC Revolution: Reframing Medicine Through Control Theory and Hepatic Intelligence The LBC Revolution Paradigm / Manifesto v1.0 D05 Missing the Center: How Modern Science Overlooked the Liver’s Role in the Evolution of Intelligence Missing the Center History / Philosophy v1.0 D06 Coffee, Milk, and the Liver–Brain Tempo: How Nutrients Shape Cognitive Coherence Liver–Brain Tempo Nutrition / Metabolic Timing v1.0 AknowledgementsThe author acknowledges the assistance of AI-based tools (ChatGPT, OpenAI) for support in document structuring and formatting. These tools themselves are built upon the work of countless researchers, engineers, and contributors whose efforts made their development possible. All conceptual development, theoretical framing, and scientific claims were produced independently by the author. Finally, the author expresses gratitude to life itself — a continuous chain of chemical, metabolic, and neurological success across deep time — culminating in a consciousness able to contemplate its own origins.