A New Spin on Neural Processing: Quantum Cognition

Weingarten, Carol P.; Doraiswamy, P. Murali; Fisher, Matthew P. A.

doi:10.3389/fnhum.2016.00541

Cited by 44 publications

(73 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…The hypothesis is this: that phosphorus nuclear spin might function as a neural qubit to allow for quantum processing to play a role in cognition [84][85][86] 198,201 . However, they argue that these extended times are partly due to experimental control of the coherent spin dynamics, a condition that Fisher does not take into account 198 .…”

Section: Entangled Posner Moleculesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Out of the various elements and ions that play an essential role in biological systems, only hydrogen and phosphorus have spin-half nuclei. Fisher goes on to describe the details of how the quantum information carried by phosphorus nuclei is created and preserved[84][85][86] .Phosphorus is bound into phosphate or polyphosphate ions such as pyrophosphate. Phosphate ions constitute part of the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecule, an organic chemical that acts as a source of energy for the many essential actions that sustain living organisms84,196 .…”

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confidence: 99%

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Quantum effects in the brain: A review

Adams

Petruccione

2020

AVS Quantum Science

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In the mid-1990s it was proposed that quantum effects in proteins known as microtubules play a role in the nature of consciousness. The theory was largely dismissed due to the fact that quantum effects were thought unlikely to occur in biological systems, which are warm and wet and subject to decoherence. However, the development of quantum biology now suggests otherwise. Quantum effects have been implicated in photosynthesis, a process fundamental to life on earth. They are also possibly at play in other biological processes such as avian migration and olfaction.The microtubule mechanism of quantum consciousness has been joined by other theories of quantum cognition. It has been proposed that general anaesthetic, which switches off consciousness, does this through quantum means, measured by changes in electron spin. The tunnelling hypothesis developed in the context of olfaction has been applied to the action of neurotransmitters. A recent theory outlines how quantum entanglement between phosphorus nuclei might influence the firing of neurons.These, and other theories, have contributed to a growing field of research that investigates whether quantum effects might contribute to neural processing. This review aims to investigate the current state of this research and how fully the theory is supported by convincing experimental evidence. It also aims to clarify the biological sites of these proposed quantum effects and how progress made in the wider field of quantum biology might be relevant to the specific case of the brain.1

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Section: Entangled Posner Moleculesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

Quantum effects in the brain: A review

Adams

Petruccione

2020

AVS Quantum Science

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“…For comparison, we have also used equation (3.1) to calculate self-relaxation rates for intramolecular singlets. With the atoms numbered as in figure 1, the three distinct two-spin singlet states, (1,2), (1,4), and (1,6), have self-relaxation times of 51, 43, and 25 min respectively.…”

Section: Spin Relaxationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Posner qubits: spin dynamics of entangled Ca ₉ (PO ₄ ) ₆ molecules and their role in neural processing

Player¹,

Hore²

2018

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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It has been suggested that 31 P nuclear spins in Ca 9 (PO 4 ) 6 molecules could form the basis of a quantum mechanism for neural processing in the brain. A fundamental requirement of this proposal is that spins in different Ca 9 (PO 4 ) 6 molecules can become entangled and remain so for periods (estimated at many hours) that hugely exceed typical 31 P spin relaxation times. Here, we consider the coherent and incoherent spin dynamics of Ca 9 (PO 4 ) 6 arising from dipolar and scalar spin-spin interactions and derive an upper bound of 37 min on the entanglement lifetime under idealized physiological conditions. We argue that the spin relaxation in Ca 9 (PO 4 ) 6 is likely to be much faster than this estimate.

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“…In recent advance, superconductivity proved to be successful in quantum computing [2][3][4]. Combining these facts with novel idea that brain is quantum computer [5,6], one could deduce that superconductivity might be at work in brain too. A problem with this statement is that superconductivity was not yet proven to exist at room temperature.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Possible Superconductivity in the Brain

Mikheenko

2018

J Supercond Nov Magn

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The unprecedented power of brain suggests that it may process information quantum-mechanically. Since quantum processing is already achieved in superconducting quantum computers, it may imply that superconductivity is the basis of quantum computation in brain too. Superconductivity could also be responsible for long-term memory. Following these ideas, the paper reviews the progress in the search for superconductors with high critical temperature and tries to answer the question about the superconductivity in brain. It focuses on recent electrical measurements of brain slices, in which graphene was used as a room-temperature quantum mediator, and argues that these measurements could be regarded as evidence of superconductivity in the neural network of mammalian brains. The estimated critical temperature of superconducting network in the brains is rather high: 2063±114 K. A similar critical temperature was predicted in the Little's model for one-dimensional organic chains linked to certain molecular complexes. A reasonable suggestion is that superconductivity develops in microtubules inside the neurons of brain.

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A New Spin on Neural Processing: Quantum Cognition

Cited by 44 publications

References 42 publications

Quantum effects in the brain: A review

Quantum effects in the brain: A review

Posner qubits: spin dynamics of entangled Ca ₉ (PO ₄ ) ₆ molecules and their role in neural processing

Possible Superconductivity in the Brain

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A New Spin on Neural Processing: Quantum Cognition

Cited by 44 publications

References 42 publications

Quantum effects in the brain: A review

Quantum effects in the brain: A review

Posner qubits: spin dynamics of entangled Ca 9 (PO 4 ) 6 molecules and their role in neural processing

Possible Superconductivity in the Brain

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Product

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Posner qubits: spin dynamics of entangled Ca ₉ (PO ₄ ) ₆ molecules and their role in neural processing