Consciousness In The Quantum World - Part-3 - Quantum Brain
There are numerous accounts that relate quantum theory to consciousness while adopting the fundamental concepts of quantum theory solely metaphorically. Quantum theoretical words like entanglement, superposition, collapse, complementarity, and others are frequently employed without a clear explanation of their precise definitions or how they apply to particular circumstances. For example, it is simply hypothesised that conscious acts can be interpreted in some way similar to physical acts of measurement or that correlations in psychological systems might be interpreted in some way similar to physical entanglement. Such stories might make for exciting science fiction, and they might even serve as crucial inspiration for developing more in-depth concepts.
But until such thorough effort moves beyond nebulous metaphors and analogies, it cannot be said that science has advanced. This contribution will not address methods falling under this category.
A second group comprises methods that characterise neurophysiological and/or neuropsychological processes using the status quo of contemporary quantum theory. The strategy with the longest history was developed by von Neumann in the 1930s, continued by Wigner, and is now supported by Stapp. It can be broadly defined as the suggestion that purposeful conscious acts are integrally linked to reductions in physical state. Treating mental processes, in particular memory states, in terms of vacuum states of quantum fields is another really old concept that dates back to Ricciardi and Umezawa in the 1960s. At the moment, Vitiello is a well-known supporter of this strategy.
The last hypothesis put forth by Beck and Eccles in the 1990s holds that mental intentions can have an impact on quantum mechanical processes that are relevant for the description of exocytosis at the synaptic cleft.
The third group deals with extensions or generalisations of the current quantum theory. The idea put forth by Penrose to link fundamental acts of consciousness to quantum state reductions brought on by gravitation is an obvious contender in this regard. In the end, this calls for the framework of a potential quantum gravity theory, which is still in its infancy. Hameroff has stated, in agreement with Penrose, that microtubuli may be the best place to seek for these state decreases.
Using a notion created to demonstrate the presence of quantum gravity and modifying it to investigate the functioning of the human brain, scientists now believe that our brains may be capable of using quantum computation. The discovery could provide insight into consciousness, whose functioning is still not well understood by science. Another reason why humans still outperform supercomputers in unpredictable situations, decision-making, or learning new things may be due to quantum brain processes.
Researchers from Trinity College Dublin believe that human brains could use quantum computation after repurposing an idea created to demonstrate the existence of quantum gravity to investigate the human brain and its functions.
The performance of short-term memory and conscious awareness were also connected with the brain processes that were tested in the experiment. This shows that cognitive and conscious brain activities are also influenced by quantum processes.
The team's findings might expand our general understanding of how the brain functions if they could be independently verified, which would probably call for cutting-edge multidisciplinary methods. The understandings might make it possible to maintain or even heal the brain. They might also contribute to the development of even more sophisticated quantum computers and other technologies.
One of the researchers at quantxcer said:
We modified a concept used in experiments to demonstrate the presence of quantum gravity, in which two known quantum systems interact with a third system. The unknown must be a quantum system as well if the known systems can entangle. It avoids the challenges of locating measurement tools for an unknown quantity.
"As the known system for our studies, we used proton spins of 'brain water. 'Brain water' accumulates naturally as fluid in our brains, and MRI can measure the proton spins (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). We then discovered MRI signals that resemble heartbeat-evoked potentials, a type of EEG signal, by employing a particular MRI design to look for entangled spins.
The researchers believe they could only have seen the heartbeat-evoked potentials because the nuclear proton spins in the brain were entangled, as these electrophysiological potentials are often not visible with MRI.
If entanglement is the only explanation, then brain functions must have interacted with the nuclear spins to mediate the entanglement between the nuclear spins. We can therefore conclude that those mental processes must be quantum.
"Quantum brain mechanisms may explain why we still outperform supercomputers in situations requiring unexpected judgement, decision-making, or learning new information. Our studies, conducted just 50 metres from the lecture hall where Schrodinger famously outlined his theories about life, could provide answers to biological problems as well as the even more enigmatic nature of consciousness.
It is likely that those quantum processes are a significant component of our cognitive and conscious brain activities because these brain functions were also associated to short-term memory performance and conscious awareness.