Quantum models of the mind: Are they compatible with environment decoherence?
Abstract
Quantum models of the mind associate consciousness with coherent superposition of states in the brain. Some authors consider consciousness to be the result of a kind of internal quantum measurement process in the brain. In this paper we discuss the ideas of Hameroff-Penrose and Tegmark and their calculation for an estimate of decoherence time. We criticize the Hameroff-Penrose model in the context of a quantum brain model by gravitational collapse orchestrated objective reduction (OOR), assumed by Penrose, and we propose instead that the decoherence process is caused by interaction with the environment. We consider it useful to exploit this possibility because of the growing importance of the decoherence theory in quantum measurement, and also because quantum mechanics can be applied to brain study independently of the Hameroff-Penrose model for mind and consciousness. Our conclusion is that the Hameroff-Penrose model is not compatible with decoherence, but nevertheless the quantum brain can still be considered if we replace gravitational collapse OOR with decoherence. However, our result does not agree with Tegmark's conclusion of refuting not only the Hameroff-Penrose gravitational collapse but also the quantum brain, based on decoherence time calculations in specific cases in the brain. In spite of this fact we also disagree with some points of the response to Tegmark's article given by Hagan, Hameroff, and Tuszynski.
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The brain operates in a warm, decoherence-prone physiological environment.
“Although the brain operates in a warm, decoherence-prone physiological environment [10,11]”
From Quantum-Inspired and Non-Classical Approaches to Consciousness: Models, Evidence and Constraints (2026) · cites this paper as [11]
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Electromagnetic effects—From cell biology to medicine
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Quantum-Inspired and Non-Classical Approaches to Consciousness: Models, Evidence and Constraints
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“Although the brain operates in a warm, decoherence-prone physiological environment [10,11], research in quantum biology demonstrates that certain quantum effects (for example, coherence or spin-dependent reaction dynamics) can persist under conditions once deemed prohibitive, as in photosynthetic…”
- Authors
- Rosa, L. P., & Faber, J.
- Affiliations
- Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica (BR)
- Venue
- Physical Review E
- Publisher
- American Physical Society (APS)
- Published
- 2004-09-15
- Volume
- 70
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 031902-031902
- ISSN
- 1539-3755 (ISSN-L)
- 1550-2376
- OpenAlex
- W2594699525
- Cited by
- 45
- References
- 12
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 1.22
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Physical Review E (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Quantum Mechanics and Applications
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Philosophy and Theoretical Science
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Biofield Effects and Biophysics
- Keywords
- quantum consciousness, quantum brain, decoherence, Orchestrated Objective Reduction, gravitational collapse, decoherence time, quantum measurement, Penrose
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Physiological, Animals, Brain, Consciousness, Environment, Humans, Microtubules, Models, Neurological, Neurons, Quantum Theory, Tubulin, Computers, Molecular
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