Overview (7/5/2003):
Spin-Mediated Consciousness Theory
Huping Hu* and Maoxin Wu
I. Physics and
Ontology
As originally proposed in quant-ph/0208068, expanded
in Cogprints ID2579 and later presented at Quantum Mind 2003,
the ontological essence of our theory is that spin is the seat of consciousness
and the linchpin between mind and the brain, that is, spin is the “mind-pixel.”
Thus, according to our theory consciousness is intrinsically connected to the spin
process and emerges from the self-referential collapses of spin states. The
unity of mind is achieved by entanglement of these mind-pixels. Further it is our
fundamental view that spin is likely the primordial self-referential process
driving quantum mechanics, spacetime dynamics and
consciousness (See Cogprints ID2827). The implication of our view is that the probabilistic structure of quantum mechanics is due to the
self-referential collapse of spin state which is contextual, non-computable,
non-local and irreversible.
In
formulating our theory, we have adopted the principle that consciousness is
quantum mechanical, thus, the process responsible for generating quantum
effects also generates consciousness. Hence, if spin is the seat of
consciousness, it must also be the source of quantum effects. Now, do we have
any support to this claim? The answer is “Yes.” First, spin is embedded in the
microscopic structure of spacetime as reflected by
the Dirac equation and is likely more fundamental than
spacetime itself as implicated by Penrose’s spin
networks and twistor theory. Second, in the Hestenes
picture the zitterbewegung associated with spin was
shown to be responsible for the quantum effects of the relativistic electron (See
Hestenes [1983], Found. Phys., 15, p. 63). Third,
in the Bohmian
picture the “internal motion” associated with spin has been shown recently
to be responsible for the quantum potential (See, e.g., Recami
& Salesi [1998], Phys. Rev. A, 57, p. 98)
which, in turn, is responsible for quantum effects in Bohmian
quantum mechanics.
In addition, there are experimental
results supporting the possibility of spin-mediated consciousness: (1) Proton
nuclear spins in nematic liquid crystal can achieve
long-lived intra-molecular quantum coherence with entanglement in room
temperature for information storage (Khitrin
et al, quant-ph/0202035 &
0208136). (2) Long-ranged
(>10 microns) intermolecular multiple-quantum coherence in NMR spectroscopy
was discovered about a decade ago (Warren, et al [1993], Science,
262, p. 2005). (3) Long-lived (>.05 milliseconds) entanglement of two macroscopic spin
ensembles in room temperature has been achieved recently (Julsgaard et al [2001], Nature, 413, p.
400). (4) NMR quantum computation in room temperature is reality (See Nielsen & Chuang [2000], Quantum Computation
and Quantum Information, Cambridge Universal Press).
II. Biological
Model
General
Considerations: (1) Most
abundant unpaired spins in the brain are the proton nuclear spins of all the
molecules and electronic spins carried by O2. (2) Neural membranes are
the matrices of most vital brain functions and phospholipids/proteins in the
membranes are saturated with proton nuclear spins. (3) O2
plays crucial roles in brain functions and is hypothesized by us to be involved
in the mechanism of anesthetic action (Hu
& Wu [2001], Medical Hypotheses, 57, p. 619).
Neural Substrates: (1) Unpaired nuclear
spins in neural membranes and proteins are the mind-pixels since atomic nuclei
are almost immobile and shielded from much of the noise in the “warm and wet”
brain. (2) Unpaired electronic spins of rapidly diffusing O2,
NO and possibly other molecules are the spin beam for pixel-activation since
they are very mobile, can generate strong fluctuating electromagnetic fields
through their large magnetic dipoles associated with their spins, and strongly
couple to unpaired nuclear spins. (3) Spin chemistry is the bridge to classical
neural activities since biochemical reactions mediated by free radicals are
very sensitive to small changes of magnetic energies.
Quantum Processes: (1) Activations of neural
nuclear spin states through strong interactions with unpaired electrons of
rapidly diffusing O2 and NO. (2) Entanglement
of various neural nuclear spin states through intra- and intermolecular
spin-spin interactions. (3) Decoherence and survivals
of the “fittest” entangled spin states in decoherence-free
subspaces or through Zeno Effects. (4) Collapses of the fittest entangled spin
states through self-referential spin processes.
III. “Consciousness Explained”
Applying all these ideas
to the particular structures and dynamics of the brain, we postulate that the
human consciousness works as follows: (1) Nuclear spin ensemble in neural
membranes and proteins (“NSE”) are activated through strong interactions with
unpaired electronic spins of rapidly diffusing O2
and NO that extract information from their diffusing pathways in the brain. (2)
NSE process said information such that conscious experience emerges from the
collapses of NSE entangled quantum states driven by self-referential spin
processes. (3) In turn, NSE has effects
through spin chemistry on the classical neural activities thus influencing the
classical neural networks of the brain. Further,
Our Model calls for associative encoding of neural memories in the dynamical
structures of neural membranes and proteins.
IV. Predictions and Supporting Evidence
Predictions: (1) Replacement of
hydrogen with deuterium will block consciousness. (2) Interference with the
dynamics of neural nuclear spin ensemble will affect consciousness. (3) Perturbation
of membrane structures and dynamics will affect consciousness. (4) Perturbation/blockage
of oxygen pathways in the membrane will affect/block consciousness.
Suporting
Evidence: (1) Transcranial magnetic stimulations affecting awareness and
consciousness functions (See Chicurei
[2002], Nature, 417, p. 114 [news feature]) can be explained as the
stimulations interfering with neural nuclear spin dynamics. (2) General
anesthetics causing unconsciousness can be explained as said anesthetics
perturbing O2 pathways and neural membrane structures and
dynamics (See also Hu & Wu
[2002], Medical Hypotheses, 57, p. 619). (3) Temporary hypoxia causing unconsciousness may be explained as deprivation
of O2 spin beam functions. (4) D2O
has various neurological effects (See, e.g., Kushner et al
[1999], Can. J. Physiol. Pharmacol.,
77, p. 79)
some of which may be explained as brain losing mind-pixels.
V. Summary
Spin is the seat of
consciousness and the linchpin between mind and the brain, that is, spin is the
mind-pixel. Thus, consciousness is
intrinsically connected to the spin process. According to our model, (1) the
dynamical nuclear spin ensembles are the “screen” of mind with nuclear spins as
its pixels, (2) the neural membranes and proteins are the mind-screen and
neural memory hosts, and (3) the fluxes of biologically available unpaired
electrons spins are the spin beam for information retrieval, communication and
pixel-activation. Together, they form the neural substrates of consciousness. Experimental
realizations of intra-/inter-molecular nuclear spin coherence and entanglement,
macroscopic entanglement of spin ensembles and NMR quantum computation, all in
room temperatures, strongly suggest the possibility of a spin-mediated mind.
Finally, we stress that our theory is experimentally verifiable with present
technologies.