Quantum processing in brain via phosphorus nucleons' spin

There is a revolution in physics going on, regarding research on the nature of consciousness, neural transmission and signal processing in the brain.  This seems like a very  important paper:

IS QUANTUM PROCESSING OPERATIVE IN THE BRAIN?
by Matthew Fisher

https://www.perimeterinstitute.ca/quantum-processing-operative-brain


Quote:

THE HYPOTHESIS

Fisher's theory of quantum entanglement in the brain starts with the chemical compound pyrophosphate.

Known to be essential for cellular function, pyrophosphate is made of two bonded phosphates, each made up of phosphorus (which has a nuclear spin of ½) and oxygen (which has a spin of zero).

When pyrophosphate is broken down by enzymes, the bonded pair of phosphate ions separates.

Pairs of spin-½ particles can combine in one of four ways. Three combinations lead to a total spin of one, and these are called triplet states. The fourth leads to a spin of zero, or a "singlet state," which is a special state of entanglement often referred to as the currency of quantum computing.

The enzyme catalysis of pyrophosphate occurs more often, and possibly only, if the bonded phosphate ions are in a singlet state. These entangled ions could then be "taken up" by nanometre-diameter-sized Posner molecules. Made up of six phosphate ions bound to nine calcium ions, Posner molecules have been identified in simulated body fluid and are thought to be present in the body.

The other ingredients in Posner molecules – calcium and oxygen – do not have a nuclear spin, and the small molecules are very spherical, thus are expected to tumble rapidly in water. This means the quantum entanglement of the phosphate ions is expected to be highly protected from its environment, and could remain coherent for a day or much longer.

With Posner molecules serving as a "qubit memory," the end result could lead to non-local quantum correlations – what Einstein called "spooky action at a distance" – in neurotransmitter release and postsynaptic firing across multiple neurons. This is what Fisher calls quantum cognition.

See also


Neural qubits: Quantum cognition based on synaptic nuclear spins
August 27, 2015 by John Hewitt report

https://phys.org/news/2015-08-neural-qubits-quantum-cognition-based.html


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Can Quantum Physics Explain Consciousness?
A new approach to a once far fetched theory is making it plausible that the brain functions like a quantum computer.

by JENNIFER OUELLETTE NOV 7, 2016

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/11/quantum-brain/506768/

From Atlantic, Nov-2016

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Quantum Cognition: The possibility of processing with nuclear spins in the brain

Matthew P. A. Fisher
(Submitted on 19 Aug 2015 (v1), last revised 29 Aug 2015 (this version, v2))

https://arxiv.org/abs/1508.05929

Abstract:

The possibility that quantum processing with nuclear spins might be operative in the brain is proposed and then explored. Phosphorus is identified as the unique biological element with a nuclear spin that can serve as a qubit for such putative quantum processing - a neural qubit - while the phosphate ion is the only possible qubit-transporter. We identify the "Posner molecule", Ca9(PO4)6, as the unique molecule that can protect the neural qubits on very long times and thereby serve as a (working) quantum-memory. A central requirement for quantum-processing is quantum entanglement. It is argued that the enzyme catalyzed chemical reaction which breaks a pyrophosphate ion into two phosphate ions can quantum entangle pairs of qubits. Posner molecules, formed by binding such phosphate pairs with extracellular calcium ions, will inherit the nuclear spin entanglement. A mechanism for transporting Posner molecules into presynaptic neurons during a "kiss and run" exocytosis, which releases neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft, is proposed. Quantum measurements can occur when a pair of Posner molecules chemically bind and subsequently melt, releasing a shower of intra-cellular calcium ions that can trigger further neurotransmitter release and enhance the probability of post-synaptic neuron firing. Multiple entangled Posner molecules, triggering non-local quantum correlations of neuron firing rates, would provide the key mechanism for neural quantum processing. Implications, both in vitro and in vivo, are briefly mentioned.

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DHA forming BE quantum condensate in the living organisms

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[OFF-TOPIC]
It is a good time for some nutty speculative science stuff, for a change. 8-:) This post was inspired by the following paper:

"A quantum theory for the irreplaceable role of docosahexaenoic acid in neural cell signalling throughout evolution";
by Michael A. Crawford, Kebreab Ghebremeskel, C. Leigh Broadhurst, Walter F. Schmidt, Martin Guest;
Published in: Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids 88 (2013) 5–13,

The paper above is postulating that the DHA (docosehexaenoic acid) has a special role in the living organism since the beginning of Life on Earth, and must have certain unique properties so that it has never been supplanted by any other molecule.

I came to a very similar conclusions regarding DHA except that I think the primary drive behind the evolutionary use of DHA was not only the neural conduction or photosensitivity/vision as stipulated in the paper, but rather much more fundamental property of the DHA-composed cellullar membranes. That is the ability to establish quantum coherency involving very large number of ions or pseudoparticles (polarons etc) trapped on the membrane, forming the so-called Bose-Einsten Condensate (BEC). For example, a polarized DHA membrane with with H+ on one side and and e- on the opposite side, may form (H+)--(e-) integral spin pseudo atoms stretched across the membrane, which may and probably do form Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC). I think BEC explains neatly the fact that biochemical reactions involving several electron-volt of chemical potential can be driven by only a tiny ~180mV cellullar membrane potential.

It seems that the reason neural propagation appears to be extremely fast, probably instantanous, is because the quantum change of the BEC state takes place instantaneously regardless of the spacial extent of the underlying structure. Similar physics is probably taking place in the mitochondrial membranes except the purpose there would be chemical synthesis rather than signal propagation and quantum logic.

Even more speculative.

The primary evolutionary drive behind DHA could have been an ability of Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC) of accelerating decay of naturally occurring radioactive Potassium-40 isotope, to Calcium 40 by creating BEC of both elements on the DHA membrane. By exposing of the BEC composed of Calcium 40 that is (one of) the end-product of Potassium 40 decay, to the original Potassium 40 nuclei in the initial quantum state, it would increase the probability of the K40-->Ca40 transistion. This is statistical property of bosons making them more likely to transition into a particular state if there are already bosons residing in that state. This effect is behind the well-known effect (to physicists) of "stimulated emission of radiation" in lasers, as opposed to "spontaneous emission".

If that is true then this effect could have greatly facilitated production of energy through stimulated radioactivity on the early Earth, in the primordial environment deep underground or at the bottom of the ocean, that were devoid of light and lacking other readily available sources of energy. This would probably be taking place in the first one billion years of the Earth evolution when the abundance of Potassium-40 was much higher than it is now.

There are other interesting and equally speculative possibilities to explore, involving BCE phenomena on the membranes and thin layers,
see for example this proposal.

Stan Bleszynski, August 2016.

Update 31-Aug-2016

Interesting link, an article on quantum processes in biology.

Quantum biophysics is the new microelectronics!

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I am recently obsessed fascinated by quantum coherent physical phenomena involving biological cellular membranes that may also represent a possible physical mechanism behind cold fusion (aka LENR - Low Energy Nuclear Reactions!).

Brief introduction:

In case of cellular membranes, we are dealing with electron-proton pairs on the opposite sides of the membranes forming the pseudo-particles - bosons i.e. particles of integral spin. Being bosons, those pseudo-particles may form a coherent quantum state - Bose-Einstein (BE) condensate just like the Cooper pairs of electrons in a superconductor, except they are neutral thus they do not produce observable electromagnetic phenomena as a superconductor but they do produce non-local quantum propagation phenomena (neurons, brain) and non-local synchronous energy transfers (bio-catalysis, mitochondria).

In case of deuterium or hydrogen ions in palladium or nickel crystal lattices, we are dealing probably with similar phenomenon of free electrons in the metallic lattice pairing with hydrogen nucleus forming an analog of hydrogen pseudo-atoms of very large dimensions which then form a coherent collective state of B-E condensate like on a cellullar membrane.

A collective state behave like a single "particle" of energy and mass being the multiple of the initial particle state energy (150meV in case of cellullar mitochondria and neurons, about 1eV in case of hydrogen/deuterium ions in metallic crystal lattice), multiplied by the average number N of particle forming the B-E condensate state. if N=10 then the membrane potential can energise all sort of chemical reaction acting like a catalyst. If N=1e6 then the B-E condensate may trigger nuclear reactions!

Once we develop a more accurate understanding and the model, we will be able to optimise and control those processes. From the practical and technological development point of view, I think, quantum biophysics is now what semiconductor microelectronics was in the 1950-ties.

Se also this document: "Proton Pump CF Mechanism".

[to be continued]

Added 9-Jan-2014

Quantum condensate effects observed in the living cells:

Physica Scripta. Vol.40,786-791, 1989., "Magnetic Flux Quantization and Josephson Systems",
E. Del Giudice, S. Doglia, M. Milani, C. W. Smith and G. Vitiello



Quotes:

One of the authors (CWS) and his co-workers have, over many years, found evidence that Josephson-like phenomena are occurring in living systems. The first piece of evidence [lo] came in 1975, when in the course of measurements on enzymes it was found that magnetic fields of the order of 60 mT could lead to very large changes in the dielectric constants of dilute solutions of enzymes.

This clearly indicates the presence of a cooperative phenomenon capable of increasing the susceptibility in a magnetic field. The effect disappeared above a critical value of the field suggesting a Meissner effect. Also the effects disappeared, if the solution was completely sterile biologically. These results have been discussed on the basis of a model in which there is a small superconductive region with linear dimensions smaller than the London penetration depth. A dispersion of such regions will act like a diamagnetic medium and could give rise to an AC Josephson effect. These preliminary results were repeated more extensively and using a different experimental technique for measuring the diamagnetic susceptibility.