Limits of the quantum cognition hypothesis: 31P singlet order lifetimes of pyrophosphate from experiment and simulation

21 June 2022, Version 1
This content is a preprint and has not undergone peer review at the time of posting.

Abstract

A proposal of quantum cognition advances the hypothesis that quantum entanglement between 31P nuclei could serve as a means of information storage in the brain. Testing this hypothesis requires an understanding of how long-lived these quantum effects may be. We used NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations to study the mechanisms that limit these quantum processes in 18O-enriched molecules of pyrophosphate, the simplest biomolecule that can sustain quantum-entangled 31P nuclear spin singlet states. We confirmed that chemical shift anisotropy limits the singlet magnetization order lifetimes in high magnetic fields, and we discovered that rapid rotation of the phosphate groups limits the lifetime in low magnetic fields. These findings represent an important starting point in studying whether quantum cognition can be a true biological phenomenon.

Keywords

nuclear spin singlets
relaxation mechanism
spin-rotation interaction
chemical shift anisotropy
NMR spectroscopy

Supplementary materials

Title
Description
Actions
Title
Limits of the quantum cognition hypothesis: 31P singlet order lifetimes of pyrophosphate from experiment and simulation
Description
This PDF file includes: Supplementary Text Figs. S1 to S6
Actions

Comments

Comments are not moderated before they are posted, but they can be removed by the site moderators if they are found to be in contravention of our Commenting Policy [opens in a new tab] - please read this policy before you post. Comments should be used for scholarly discussion of the content in question. You can find more information about how to use the commenting feature here [opens in a new tab] .
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy [opens in a new tab] and Terms of Service [opens in a new tab] apply.