Neural qubits or how the brain's quantum computer works

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

The physical processes occurring in the membranes of neurons in the hypersonic range are indicated. It is shown that these processes can serve as the basis for the formation of key elements (qubits) of a quantum computer, which is the information system of the brain. It is proposed to create a quantum computer based on the same physical principles on which the brain works.

The material is presented as a hypothesis.

Introduction. Formulation of the problem

This work is intended to reveal the content of the final (No. 12) conclusion of the previous work [1]: “The brain works like a quantum computer, in which the function of qubits is performed by coherent acoustoelectric oscillations of sections of the myelin sheaths of neurons, and the connection between these sections is carried out due to non-local interaction through the NR¹-direct ".

The fundamental idea that underlies this conclusion was published a quarter of a century ago in the journal "Radiofizika" [2]. The essence of the idea was that in separate sections of neutrons, namely, in the interceptions of Ranvier, coherent acoustoelectric oscillations are generated with a frequency of ~ 5 * 10¹⁰Hz, and these fluctuations serve as the main carrier of information in the information system of the brain.

This paper shows that acoustoelectric oscillatory modes in the membranes of neurons are capable of performing the function of qubits, on the basis of which the work of the information system of the brain is built, as a quantum computer.

Objective

This work has 3 goals:

1) to draw attention to the work [2], in which it was shown 25 years ago that coherent hypersonic oscillations can be generated in the membranes of neurons, 2) describe a new model of the brain information system, which is based on the presence of coherent hypersonic oscillations in the membranes of neurons, 3) to propose a new type of quantum computer, the work of which will simulate the work of the information system of the brain to the maximum extent.

The content of the work

The first section describes the physical mechanism of generation in the membranes of neurons of coherent acoustoelectric oscillations with a frequency of the order of 5 * 10¹⁰Hz.

The second section describes the principles of the brain information system based on coherent oscillations generated in the membranes of neurons.

In the third section, it is proposed to create a quantum computer that simulates the information system of the brain.

I. The nature of coherent oscillations in the membranes of neurons

The structure of a neuron is described in any monograph on neurosciences. Each neuron contains a main body, many processes (dendrites), through which it receives signals from other cells, and a long process (axon), through which it itself emits electrical impulses (action potentials).

In the future, we will consider exclusively axons. Each axon contains areas of 2 types alternating with each other:

1. Ranvier's interceptions, 2. myelin sheaths.

Each interception of Ranvier is enclosed between two myelinated segments. The length of the interception of Ranvier is 3 orders of magnitude less than the length of the myelin segment: the length of the interception of Ranvier is 10^-4cm (one micron), and the length of the myelin segment is 10^-1cm (one millimeter).

Ranvier's interceptions are the sites in which ion channels are embedded. Through these channels, the Na ions⁺ and K⁺ penetrate into and out of the axon, resulting in the formation of action potentials. It is currently believed that the formation of action potentials is the only function of Ranvier's interceptions.

However, in work [2] it was shown that Ranvier's interceptions are capable of performing one more important function: in the interceptions of Ranvier, coherent acoustoelectric oscillations are generated.

The generation of coherent acoustoelectric oscillations is carried out due to the acoustoelectric laser effect, which is realized in the interceptions of Ranvier, since both necessary conditions for the implementation of this effect are fulfilled:

1) the presence of pumping, by means of which vibrational modes are excited, 2) the presence of a resonator through which the feedback is carried out.

1) Pumping is provided by ion currents Na⁺ and K⁺flowing through the interceptions of Ranvier. Due to the high density of the channels (10¹² cm^-2) and their high throughput (10⁷ ion / sec), the density of the ion current through the interceptions of Ranvier is extremely high. The ions passing through the channel excite the vibrational modes of the subunits that form the inner surface of the channel, and due to the laser effect, these modes are synchronized, forming coherent hypersonic oscillations.

2) The function of a resonator, creating a distributed feedback, is performed by a periodic structure, which is present in the myelin sheaths, between which the interceptions of Ranvier are enclosed. The periodic structure is created by layers of membranes with a thickness of d ~ 10^-6 cm.

This period corresponds to a resonant wavelength λ ~ 2d ~ 2 * 10^-6 cm and frequency ν ~ υ / λ ~ 5 * 10¹⁰ Hz, υ ~ 10⁵ cm / sec - speed of hypersonic waves.

An important role is played by the fact that ion channels are selective. The diameter of the channels coincides with the diameter of the ions, so the ions are in close contact with the subunits that line the inner surface of the channel.

As a result, the ions transfer most of their energy to the vibrational modes of these subunits: the energy of the ions is converted into the vibrational energy of the subunits constituting the channels, which is the physical reason for the pumping.

The fulfillment of both necessary conditions for the realization of the laser effect means that Ranvier's interceptions are acoustic lasers (now they are called "sasers"). A feature of sasers in neuronal membranes is that the pumping is carried out by an ionic current: Ranvier interceptions are sasers generating coherent acoustoelectric oscillations with a frequency of ~ 5 * 10¹⁰ Hz.

Due to the laser effect, the ion current passing through the interceptions of Ranvier not only excites the vibrational modes of the molecules that make up these interceptions (which would be a simple conversion of the energy of the ion current into thermal energy): in the interceptions of Ranvier, the oscillatory modes are synchronized, as a result of which coherent oscillations of the resonant frequency are formed.

The oscillations generated in Ranvier's interceptions in the form of acoustic waves of hypersonic frequency propagate into the myelin sheaths, where they form an acoustic (hypersonic) "interference pattern", which serves as a material carrier of the information system of the brain

II. Information system of the brain, like a quantum computer, whose qubits are acoustoelectric vibrational modes

If the conclusion about the presence of high-frequency coherent acoustic oscillations in the brain corresponds to reality, then it is very likely that the information system of the brain works on the basis of these oscillations: such a capacious medium must certainly be used to record and reproduce information.

The presence of coherent hypersonic vibrations allows the brain to operate in the mode of a quantum computer. Let us consider the most probable mechanism for realizing a "brain" quantum computer, in which elementary cells of information (qubits) are created on the basis of hypersonic oscillatory modes.

A qubit is an arbitrary linear combination of base states | Ψ₀> and | Ψ₁> with coefficients α, β that satisfy the normalization condition α² + β² = 1. In the case of vibrational modes, the base states can differ by any of the 4 parameters characterizing these modes: amplitude, frequency, polarization, phase.

Amplitude and frequency are probably not used to create a qubit, since in all areas of the axons these 2 parameters are approximately the same.

The third and fourth possibilities remain: polarization and phase. Qubits based on polarization and the phase of acoustic vibrations are completely analogous to qubits in which the polarization and phase of photons are used (replacing photons with phonons is of no fundamental importance).

It is likely that polarization and phase are used together to form acoustic qubits in the brain's myelin network. The values of these 2 quantities determine the type of ellipse that the oscillatory mode forms in each cross section of the axon myelin sheath: the basic states of acoustic qubits of a quantum computer in the brain are given by elliptical polarization.

The number of axons in the brain matches the number of neurons: about 10¹¹… An axon has an average of 30 myelin segments, and each segment can function as a qubit. This means that the number of qubits in the information system of the brain can reach 3 * 10¹².

The information capacity of a device with such a number of qubits is equivalent to a conventional computer, the memory of which contains 2^{3 000 000 000 000}bits.

This value is 10 billion orders of magnitude greater than the number of particles in the Universe (10⁸⁰). Such a large information capacity of the quantum computer of the brain allows you to record an arbitrarily large amount of information and solve any problems.

To record information, you do not need to create a special recording device: information can be stored on the same medium with which information is processed (in quantum states of qubits).

Each image and even each "shade" of an image (taking into account all the interconnections of a given image with other images) can be associated with a point in Hilbert space, reflecting a set of states of qubits of a quantum computer in the brain. When a set of qubits is at the same point in Hilbert space, this image "flashes" in consciousness and it is reproduced.

Entanglement of acoustic qubits in a quantum computer in the brain can be accomplished in two ways.

The first way: due to the presence of close contact between the parts of the myelin network of the brain and the transfer of entanglement through these contacts.

The second way: entanglement can appear as a result of multiple repetitions of the same set of vibrational modes: the correlation between these modes becomes a single quantum state, between the elements of which a nonlocal connection is established (probably, with the help of the NR¹- straight lines [1]). The presence of a non-local connection allows the brain's information network to perform consistent computations using "quantum parallelism."

It is this property that gives the brain's quantum computer extremely high computational power.

For the quantum computer of the brain to work effectively, there is no need to use all 3 * 10¹² potential qubits. The operation of a quantum computer will be efficient even if the number of qubits is about one thousand (10³). This number of qubits can be formed in one axon bundle, composed of only 30 axons (each nerve can be a "mini" quantum computer). Thus, a quantum computer can occupy a tiny fraction of the brain, and many quantum computers can exist in the brain.

The main objection to the proposed mechanism of the brain information system is the large attenuation of hypersonic waves. This obstacle can be overcome by the "enlightenment" effect.

The intensity of the generated vibrational modes may be sufficient for propagation in the mode of self-induced transparency (thermal vibrations, which could destroy the coherence of the vibrational mode, themselves become part of this vibrational mode).

III. A quantum computer built on the same physical principles as the human brain

If the information system of the brain really works like a quantum computer, the qubits of which are acoustoelectric modes, then it is quite possible to create a computer that will work on the same principles.

In the next 5-6 months, the author intends to file an application for a patent for a quantum computer that simulates the information system of the brain.

After 5-6 years, we can expect the appearance of the first samples of artificial intelligence, working in the image and likeness of the human brain.

Quantum computers use the most general laws of quantum mechanics. Nature "did not invent" any more general laws, therefore it is quite natural that consciousness works on the principle of a quantum computer, using the maximum possibilities for processing and recording information provided by nature.

It is advisable to conduct a direct experiment to detect coherent acoustoelectric oscillations in the myelin network of the brain. To do this, one should irradiate parts of the myelin network of the brain with a laser beam and try to detect modulation with a frequency of about 5 * 10 in transmitted or reflected light.¹⁰ Hz.

A similar experiment can be carried out on a physical model of an axon, i.e. an artificially created membrane with built-in ion channels. This experiment will be the first step towards creating a quantum computer, the work of which will be carried out on the same physical principles as the work of the brain.

The creation of quantum computers that work like a brain (and better than a brain) will raise the information support of civilization to a qualitatively new level.

Conclusion

The author tries to draw the attention of the scientific community to the work of a quarter-century ago [2], which may be important for understanding the mechanism of the brain information system and identifying the nature of consciousness. The essence of the work is to prove that individual sections of neuronal membranes (Ranvier interceptions) serve as sources of coherent acoustoelectric oscillations.

The fundamental novelty of this work lies in the description of the mechanism by which the oscillations generated in the interceptions of Ranvier are used for the operation of the information system of the brain as a carrier of memory and consciousness.

The hypothesis is substantiated that the information system of the brain works like a quantum computer, in which the function of qubits is performed by acoustoelectric oscillatory modes in the membranes of neurons. The main task of the work is to substantiate the thesis that the brain is a quantum computer whose qubits are coherent oscillations of neuronal membranes.

Along with polarization and phase, another parameter of hypersonic waves in neuronal membranes that can be used to form qubits is twist (this is 5^{and I} characteristic of waves, reflecting the presence of orbital angular momentum).

The creation of swirling waves does not pose any particular difficulties: for this, spiral structures or defects must be present at the border of the Ranvier interceptions and myelin regions. Probably, such structures and defects do exist (and the myelin sheaths themselves are spiral).

According to the proposed model, the main carrier of information in the brain is the white matter of the brain (myelin sheaths), and not the gray matter, as is currently believed. Myelin sheaths serve not only to increase the speed of propagation of action potentials, but also the main carrier of memory and consciousness: most of the information is processed in the white, and not in the gray matter of the brain.

Within the framework of the proposed model of the brain's information system, the psychophysical problem posed by Descartes finds a solution: “How do body and spirit relate in a person?”, In other words, what is the relationship between matter and consciousness?

The answer is as follows: spirit exists in Hilbert space, but is created by quantum qubits formed by material particles that exist in space-time.

Modern technology is able to reproduce the structure of the axonal network of the brain and check whether hypersonic vibrations are actually generated in this network, and then create a quantum computer in which these vibrations will be used as qubits.

Over time, artificial intelligence based on an acoustoelectric quantum computer will be able to exceed the qualitative characteristics of human consciousness. This will make it possible to take a fundamentally new step in human evolution, and this step will be made by the consciousness of the person himself.

The time has come to start implementing the final statement of work [2]: "In the future, it is possible to create a neurocomputer that will operate on the same physical principles as the human brain.".

conclusions

1. In the membranes of neurons, there are coherent acoustoelectric oscillations: these oscillations are generated in accordance with the acoustic laser effect in the interceptions of Ranvier and propagate into the myelin sheaths

2. Coherent acoustoelectric oscillations in the myelin sheaths of neurons perform the function of qubits, on the basis of which the information system of the brain works on the principle of a quantum computer

3. In the coming years, it is possible to create artificial intelligence, which is a quantum computer operating on the same physical principles on which the information system of the brain works

LITERATURE

1. V. A. Shashlov, New model of the Universe (I) // "Academy of Trinitarianism", M., El No. 77-6567, publ. 24950, 20.11.2018