Neural Circuits, Microtubule Processing, Brain's Electromagnetic Field-Components of Self-Awareness.

A theoretical model integrates the 'Orch OR' and 'cemi' theories—which propose quantum processing in microtubules and the importance of the brain's electromagnetic field—with the authors' own theory of neural circuits for mental imagery. The model addresses components of consciousness such as the ego and qualia perceptions, presented intuitively for medical professionals. The authors argue that understanding consciousness is crucial for healthcare, as its disorders appear in emergencies, anesthesia, and cognitive decline in aging. They highlight that modern functional brain imaging, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and clinical studies on mindfulness and psychoactive substances now allow verification of these ideas, especially in people with self-awareness and identity disorders.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The known theories discussing the essence of consciousness have been recently updated. This prompts an attempt to integrate these explanations concerning several distinct components of the consciousness phenomenon such as the ego, and qualia perceptions. Therefore, it is useful to consider the latest publications on the 'Orch OR' and 'cemi' theories, which assume that quantum processing occurs in microtubules and that the brain's endogenous electromagnetic field is important. The authors combine these explanations with their own theory describing the neural circuits realizing imagery. They try to present such an interdisciplinary, integrated theoretical model in a manner intuitively understandable to people with a typical medical education. In order to do this, they even refer to intuitively understandable metaphors. The authors maintain that an effective comprehension of consciousness is important for health care professionals because its disorders are frequent medical symptoms in emergencies, during general anesthesia and in the course of cognitive disorders in elderly people. The authors emphasize the current possibilities to verify these theses regarding the essence of consciousness thanks to the development of functional brain imaging methods-magnetoencephalography, transcranial magnetic stimulation-as well as clinical studies on the modification of perceptions and feelings by such techniques as mindfulness and the use of certain psychoactive substances, especially among people with self-awareness and identity disorders.