Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have found evidence that quantum processes may be involved in brain functions like short-term memory and consciousness.
Scientists believe our brains could use quantum computation after taking a concept developed to prove the existence of quantum gravity and adapting it to explore the human brain and its workings. The discovery may shed light on consciousness, the workings of which remain scientifically difficult to understand and explain. Quantum brain processes could also explain why humans can still outperform supercomputers when it comes to unforeseen circumstances, decision-making, or learning something new.
After adapting an idea developed to prove the existence of quantum gravity to explore the human brain and its workings, researchers from Trinity College Dublin think that human brains could use quantum computation.
Quantum Entanglement and Cognitive Functions
The brain functions measured in the experiment were also correlated to short-term memory performance and conscious awareness. This suggests that quantum processes are also part of cognitive and conscious brain functions.
“If entanglement is the only possible explanation here then that would mean that brain processes must have interacted with the nuclear spins, mediating the entanglement between the nuclear spins. As a result, we can deduce that those brain functions must be quantum..” Dr. Christian Kerskens
If the team’s results can be corroborated, which would likely require advanced multidisciplinary approaches, they would improve our general understanding of how the brain works. The insights could potentially reveal how the brain can be maintained or even healed. They may also help uncover innovative technologies and build even more advanced quantum computers.
Dr. Christian Kerskens is the co-author of the research article that was published on October 7 in the Journal of Physics Communications. He is also lead physicist at the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience (TCIN), He said:
“We adapted an idea, developed for experiments to prove the existence of quantum gravity, whereby you take known quantum systems, which interact with an unknown system. If the known systems entangle, then the unknown must be a quantum system, too. It circumvents the difficulties to find measuring devices for something we know nothing about.
“For our experiments, we used proton spins of ‘brain water’ as the known system. ‘Brain water’ builds up naturally as fluid in our brains and the proton spins can be measured using MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). Then, by using a specific MRI design to seek entangled spins, we found MRI signals that resemble heartbeat-evoked potentials, a form of EEG signals. EEGs measure electrical brain currents, which some people may recognize from personal experience or simply from watching hospital dramas on TV.”
Entanglement and Cognitive Performance
Electrophysiological potentials like the heartbeat-evoked potentials are normally not detectable with MRI and the scientists believe they could only observe them because the nuclear proton spins in the brain were entangled.
Dr. Kerskens added:
“If entanglement is the only possible explanation here then that would mean that brain processes must have interacted with the nuclear spins, mediating the entanglement between the nuclear spins. As a result, we can deduce that those brain functions must be quantum.
“Because these brain functions were also correlated to short-term memory performance and conscious awareness, it is likely that those quantum processes are an important part of our cognitive and conscious brain functions.
“Quantum brain processes could explain why we can still outperform supercomputers when it comes to unforeseen circumstances, decision making, or learning something new. Our experiments performed only 50 meters away from the lecture theater, where Schrödinger presented his famous thoughts about life, may shed light on the mysteries of biology, and on consciousness which scientifically is even harder to grasp.”
Reference: “Experimental indications of non-classical brain functions” by Christian Matthias Kerskens and David López Pérez, 7 October 2022, Journal of Physics Communications.
DOI: 10.1088/2399-6528/ac94be
This research was supported by Science Foundation Ireland and TCIN.
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13 Comments
Too much Guinness can also entangle your protons.
The interaction and balance between topological vortex fields, covering all long-distance and short-range contributions of space-time motion, and is the basis for the formation and evolution of cosmic matter. The electrical activity of our brain is no exception.
So, according to their classical analysis, the result they obtained was impossible. But it is also the case that by all known facts re quantum processes the result they obtained was, similarly, impossible. So there is no logic whatsoever in making a choice and deciding that the explanation is quantum based. That isn’t science, it’s bullsh*tology.
When anything too advanced for its time is published, this (above comments) was how people should have reacted/commented historically and they are all part of the process (eg: when they were told – ‘earth was not flat’ for example; or ‘earth was not in the center of the solar system’; or ‘Newton’s gravity formula needs correction due to curved space-time’; etc)?!
I am not sure if Penrose was the first to postulate quantum phenomenology visa vis the human mind. But he was early to suggest the possibility and was roundly castigated for venturing into Biology suggesting quantum physics. I wonder how these ideas are reflected in new peer reviewed literature that speaks of human mind being a relational computer?
What a cool experiment!
Jay, take a look at the newest artcle in Quanta Magazine, about no evidence of physical collapse of the wavefunction. Penrose hypothesis involved physical collapse by gravity. And this paper mentions “quantum gravity”, a theory we all acknowledge must exist at some point but nobody knows how it will look. Too much stout, I still think.
Very likely the case. Including memory and DNA information. Possibly deeper yet. I have theorized on this concept for quite some time, that quantum physics is involved in life and its reproduction.
If so it makes it that much harder to believe evolutionionary theories. It makes it exponentially more impossible. Pointing to one probability, a infinity wise creator. Devastating to wisdom of mankind.
This notion is not new. Theoretical Physicist Roger Penrose suggested that the human brain may rely on quantum mechanical processes to function, in his book The Emperor’s New Mind published in 1989.
Consciousness is a higher order mechanism and has nothing to do with quantum physics. See “Your Brain Does Not Need You” (2020)
This also could be understood in meditation, as separating internal knowledge from external knowledge or understanding quantum mechanical functioning in humans…
That our ability to observe is a fundamental in our micro-macro cosmos/universe…
I was always certain that consciousness is a brain process. So much so that in my comments regarding rebirth and soul I have tried to convince the followers of religions believing in such concepts are wrong and should not be carried away by charlatans and godmen preaching such concepts. There certainly is necessity to rewrite and promulgate a new universal religion common to entire humanity incorporating scientific knowledge as this was not available to early humans
Inly
Bit your tongue, sit on your hands, and wait for evidence. The priors are very strongly against your conclusion, and your evidence is a coin flip.