Experimental evidence of non-classical brain functions

TL;DR

This study provides experimental evidence suggesting that consciousness-related brain functions may operate through non-classical, quantum processes, as indicated by NMR signals resembling entanglement witnesses that depend on consciousness and are independent of classical signals.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel NMR-based protocol to detect quantum correlations in the brain, providing evidence for non-classical brain functions linked to consciousness.

Findings

Detected evoked signals in the brain resembling heartbeat-evoked potentials

Signals depended on conscious awareness and were independent of classical NMR contrast

Signals only appeared when local magnetisation properties were reduced

Abstract

Recent proposals in quantum gravity have suggested that unknown systems can mediate entanglement between two known quantum systems, if and only if the mediator itself is non-classical. This approach may be applicable to the brain, where speculations about quantum operations in consciousness and cognition have a long history. Proton spins of bulk water, which most likely interfere with any brain function, can act as the known quantum systems. If an unknown mediator exists, then NMR methods based on multiple quantum coherence (MQC) can act as entanglement witness. However, there are doubts that today's NMR signals can contain quantum correlations in general, and specifically in the brain environment. Here, we used a witness protocol based on zero quantum coherence (ZQC) whereby we minimised the classical signals to circumvent the NMR detection limits for quantum correlation. For short repetitive periods, we found evoked signals in most parts of the brain, whereby the temporal appearance resembled heartbeat-evoked potentials (HEPs). We found that those signals had no correlates with any classical NMR contrast. Similar to HEPs, the evoked signal depended on conscious awareness. Consciousness-related or electrophysiological signals are unknown in NMR. Remarkably, these signals only appeared if the local properties of the magnetisation were reduced. Our findings suggest that we may have witnessed entanglement mediated by consciousness-related brain functions. Those brain functions must then operate non-classically, which would mean that consciousness is non-classical.