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Cited by 106Philosophy and Theoretical ScienceBiofield Effects and BiophysicsNeural dynamics and brain function

A quantum approach to visual consciousness

Woolf, Nancy J., Hameroff, Stuart R.·2001·Trends in Cognitive Sciences
DOI 10.1016/s1364-6613(00)01774-5
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Abstract

A theoretical approach relying on quantum computation in microtubules within neurons can potentially resolve the enigmatic features of visual consciousness, but raises other questions. For example, how can delicate quantum states, which in the technological realm demand extreme cold and isolation to avoid environmental 'decoherence', manage to survive in the warm, wet brain? And if such states could survive within neuronal cell interiors, how could quantum states grow to encompass the whole brain? We present a physiological model for visual consciousness that can accommodate brain-wide quantum computation according to the Penrose-Hameroff 'Orch OR' model. In this view, visual consciousness occurs as a series of several-hundred-millisecond epochs, each comprising 'crescendo sequences' of quantum computations occurring at approximately 40 Hz.

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Crossref · 10.1016/s1364-6613(00)01774-5

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Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Slower periods, e.g. 4 to 7 Hz theta frequency, with nested gamma waves could correspond to saccades and visual gestalts.

    “Slower periods, e.g. 4 to 7 Hz theta frequency, with nested gamma waves could correspond to saccades and visual gestalts [31,32] (Fig. 11).”

    From Consciousness in the universe (2014) · cites this paper as [31]

  • Conscious moments such as visual gestalts may be slower events, correlating with 4 to 7 Hz theta frequency, with nested gamma waves.

    “Another possibility is that conscious moments such as visual gestalts may be slower events, e.g.correlating with 4 to 7 Hz theta frequency, with nested gamma waves [31,32] (Fig. 11).”

    From Consciousness in the universe (2014) · cites this paper as [31]

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Authors
Woolf, N. J., & Hameroff, S. R.
Affiliations
  • University of California, Los Angeles (US)
  • University of Arizona (US)
Corresponding author
  • Woolf, Nancy J.
  • Hameroff, Stuart R.
ORCID
Hameroff, Stuart R.
Venue
Trends in Cognitive Sciences
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2001-11
Volume
5
Issue
11
Pages
472-478
ISSN
1364-6613 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/s1364-6613(00)01774-5
OpenAlex
W2103737450
Cited by
106
References
49
Citations by year
2025: 1 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 7
FWCI
1.28
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Trends in Cognitive Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Philosophy and Theoretical Science
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Biofield Effects and Biophysics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
Keywords
visual awareness, quantum computing, microtubules, quantum consciousness, neural oscillations, 40 Hz oscillations

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