ORCH Or, Quantum Entanglement, Microtubules and Consciousness

So I am pleased that after a couple promptings, Google Gemini and helped me find the study that a YouTube video I watched last night was referring to when it claimed that quantum entanglement in the human brain in conjunction with short term memory success, had been reported by a team out of Trinity College, Dublin.

At first I was stymied but when I asked a general question about quantum entanglement and what study had shown quantum entanglement in consciousness, I got my answer:

The study you are likely referring to is a research project conducted at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland, according to IDA Ireland and Trinity College Dublin. This research, supported by Science Foundation Ireland and the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, suggests that human brains may utilize quantum computation.

Key Aspects of the Trinity College Dublin Study:

* Inspired by Quantum Gravity Research: The study's approach was inspired by methodologies developed to prove the existence of quantum gravity.

* Exploring Quantum Systems: The researchers used known quantum systems that interact with an unknown system.

* Proton Spins as Quantum Systems: They used proton spins in the brain's fluid as the known quantum system, identifiable with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

* Modified MRI for Entangled Spins: A specialized MRI designed to find entangled spins was employed, revealing signals resembling EEG (Electroencephalography) signals, which measure electrical brain currents.

* Indications of Entanglement: The detection of these unusual signals suggests that the nuclear proton spins in the brain were entangled.

* Quantum Brain Functions: The researchers deduced that brain functions must have interacted with the nuclear spins, mediating entanglement, leading to the conclusion that those brain functions are quantum.

* Correlation with Cognitive Functions: These quantum processes were also found to be correlated with short-term memory performance and conscious awareness, indicating their potential importance in cognitive and conscious brain functions.

Relationship to Quantum Entanglement and Microtubules:

While the Trinity College Dublin study focused on proton spins and their entanglement, the broader concept of quantum processes in the brain, including entanglement within neuronal networks like microtubules, is an active area of research.

* Microtubules and Quantum Computation: The Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch-OR) theory, proposed by Roger Penrose and Stuart Hameroff, suggests that quantum computations in microtubules within neurons are fundamental to cognitive functions.

* Quantum Entanglement in Myelin Sheaths: Recent research, including a study from China, suggests that quantum entanglement might occur within the myelin sheaths of neurons, potentially facilitating rapid communication and synchronization between different brain regions.

Important Considerations:

* Controversial Nature: The idea of quantum processes playing a significant role in brain function is still controversial among scientists, with many emphasizing the need for further empirical validation.

* Challenges of Decoherence: The brain's environment is considered to be too "warm, wet and noisy" for delicate quantum operations to persist for long periods.

In summary, the Irish study at Trinity College Dub