Myelin Sheath ORCH Study
7/13/2025
Update on Penrose's ORCH Theory
A new study from Shanghai University has added compelling evidence to this controversial discussion, suggesting that quantum entanglement—the "spooky action at a distance" that even puzzled Einstein—might occur within our brains.
The Quantum Brain Hypothesis
The idea that quantum processes contribute to consciousness isn't entirely new. British physicist Roger Penrose and American anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff first proposed their "orchestrated objective reduction" model of consciousness in the 1990s. However, this theory has faced significant skepticism from the scientific community, with many arguing that the brain is too warm and chaotic for delicate quantum phenomena to survive.
What the New Study Found
The Shanghai University research, published in Physics Review E, focuses on a fatty material called myelin that wraps around nerve fibers (axons) in our brains. The researchers used mathematical models to demonstrate that:
- The cylindrical structure of myelin sheaths could create an environment where photon entanglement is possible
- Infrared photons could interact with carbon-hydrogen bonds in the myelin
- This process could generate entangled photon pairs that serve as a "quantum communication resource"
Why This Matters for Consciousness
Consciousness relies heavily on the synchronized firing of millions of neurons across the brain. This synchronization is essential for:
- Information processing
- Rapid response times
- Coordinated brain activity
The researchers suggest that quantum entanglement could provide an ideal mechanism for this synchronization, allowing instant communication between distant parts of the brain regardless of physical distance.
As co-author Yong-Cong Chen explained to New Scientist: "When a brain is active, millions of neurons fire simultaneously. If the power of evolution was looking for handy action over a distance, quantum entanglement would be [an] ideal candidate for this role."
The Skepticism and Challenges
Despite the intriguing findings, significant hurdles remain:
- Biological Validation: The phenomenon would need to be observed in actual biological systems (likely mouse brains) before gaining wider acceptance
- Detection Difficulty: Measuring quantum entanglement in living brain tissue would be extremely challenging
- Mainstream Resistance: The quantum consciousness theory remains controversial in neuroscience circles
The Bigger Picture
While this research is still in its early stages, it represents part of a growing body of evidence suggesting that the brain might utilize quantum properties. The human brain already outperforms even the most advanced supercomputers in terms of:
- Energy efficiency
- Computational complexity
- Pattern recognition
- Creative problem-solving
If quantum processes do play a role in consciousness, it could revolutionize our understanding of how the mind works and potentially inspire new approaches to artificial intelligence and brain-computer interfaces.
What's Next?
The path forward requires rigorous experimental validation. Scientists will need to develop new techniques to detect quantum entanglement in biological systems and demonstrate that these phenomena actually contribute to consciousness rather than being mere byproducts of brain activity.
As with many groundbreaking scientific ideas, what once seemed impossible—like Einstein's "spooky action at a distance"—may eventually become accepted science. The quantum nature of consciousness remains an open question, but studies like this one continue to push the boundaries of our understanding of the most complex object in the known universe: the human brain.
Link to the paper: