Jan. 16, 2014 — A review and update of a controversial 20-year-old theory of consciousness published in
Physics of Life Reviews
claims that consciousness derives from deeper level, finer scale
activities inside brain neurons. The recent discovery of quantum
vibrations in "microtubules" inside brain neurons corroborates this
theory, according to review authors Stuart Hameroff and Sir Roger
Penrose. They suggest that EEG rhythms (brain waves) also derive from
deeper level microtubule vibrations, and that from a practical
standpoint, treating brain microtubule vibrations could benefit a host
of mental, neurological, and cognitive conditions.
A review
and update of a controversial 20-year-old theory of consciousness
published in Physics of Life Reviews claims that consciousness derives
from deeper level, finer scale activities inside brain neurons. (Credit:
© James Steidl / Fotolia)
The theory, called "orchestrated objective reduction" ('Orch OR'),
was first put forward in the mid-1990s by eminent mathematical physicist
Sir Roger Penrose, FRS, Mathematical Institute and Wadham College,
University of Oxford, and prominent anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff,
MD, Anesthesiology, Psychology and Center for Consciousness Studies, The
University of Arizona, Tucson. They suggested that quantum vibrational
computations in microtubules were "orchestrated" ("Orch") by synaptic
inputs and memory stored in microtubules, and terminated by Penrose
"objective reduction" ('OR'), hence "Orch OR." Microtubules are major
components of the cell structural skeleton.
Orch OR was harshly criticized from its inception, as the brain was
considered too "warm, wet, and noisy" for seemingly delicate quantum
processes.. However, evidence has now shown warm quantum coherence in
plant photosynthesis, bird brain navigation, our sense of smell, and
brain microtubules. The recent discovery of warm temperature quantum
vibrations in microtubules inside brain neurons by the research group
led by Anirban Bandyopadhyay, PhD, at the National Institute of Material
Sciences in Tsukuba, Japan (and now at MIT), corroborates the pair's
theory and suggests that EEG rhythms also derive from deeper level
microtubule vibrations. In addition, work from the laboratory of
Roderick G. Eckenhoff, MD, at the University of Pennsylvania, suggests
that anesthesia, which selectively erases consciousness while sparing
non-conscious brain activities, acts via microtubules in brain neurons.
"The origin of consciousness reflects our place in the universe, the
nature of our existence. Did consciousness evolve from complex
computations among brain neurons, as most scientists assert? Or has
consciousness, in some sense, been here all along, as spiritual
approaches maintain?" ask Hameroff and Penrose in the current review.
"This opens a potential Pandora's Box, but our theory accommodates both
these views, suggesting consciousness derives from quantum vibrations in
microtubules, protein polymers inside brain neurons, which both govern
neuronal and synaptic function, and connect brain processes to
self-organizing processes in the fine scale, 'proto-conscious' quantum
structure of reality."
After 20 years of skeptical criticism, "the evidence now clearly
supports Orch OR," continue Hameroff and Penrose. "Our new paper updates
the evidence, clarifies Orch OR quantum bits, or "qubits," as helical
pathways in microtubule lattices, rebuts critics, and reviews 20
testable predictions of Orch OR published in 1998 -- of these, six are
confirmed and none refuted."
An important new facet of the theory is introduced. Microtubule
quantum vibrations (e.g. in megahertz) appear to interfere and produce
much slower EEG "beat frequencies." Despite a century of clinical use,
the underlying origins of EEG rhythms have remained a mystery. Clinical
trials of brief brain stimulation aimed at microtubule resonances with
megahertz mechanical vibrations using transcranial ultrasound have shown
reported improvements in mood, and may prove useful against Alzheimer's
disease and brain injury in the future.
Lead author Stuart Hameroff concludes, "Orch OR is the most rigorous,
comprehensive and successfully-tested theory of consciousness ever put
forth. From a practical standpoint, treating brain microtubule
vibrations could benefit a host of mental, neurological, and cognitive
conditions."
The review is accompanied by eight commentaries from outside
authorities, including an Australian group of Orch OR arch-skeptics. To
all, Hameroff and Penrose respond robustly.
Penrose, Hameroff and Bandyopadhyay will explore their theories
during a session on "Microtubules and the Big Consciousness Debate" at
the Brainstorm Sessions, a public three-day event at the Brakke Grond in
Amsterdam, the Netherlands, January 16-18, 2014. They will engage
skeptics in a debate on the nature of consciousness, and Bandyopadhyay
and his team will couple microtubule vibrations from active neurons to
play Indian musical instruments. "Consciousness depends on anharmonic
vibrations of microtubules inside neurons, similar to certain kinds of
Indian music, but unlike Western music which is harmonic," Hameroff
explains.
Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:
Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:
Story Source:
The above story is based on materials provided by Elsevier.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal References:
- Stuart Hameroff and Roger Penrose. Consciousness in the universe: A review of the ‘Orch OR’ theory. Physics of Life Reviews, 2013 DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2013.08.002
- Stuart Hameroff, MD, and Roger Penrose. Reply to criticism of the ‘Orch OR qubit’–‘Orchestrated objective reduction’ is scientifically justified. Physics of Life Reviews, 2013 DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2013.11.00
- Stuart Hameroff, Roger Penrose. Consciousness in the universe. Physics of Life Reviews, 2013; DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2013.08.002
