Possible existence of optical communication channels in the brain

Abstract

Given that many fundamental questions in neuroscience are still open, it seems pertinent to explore whether the brain might use other physical modalities than the ones that have been discovered so far. In particular it is well established that neurons can emit photons, which prompts the question whether these biophotons could serve as signals between neurons, in addition to the well-known electro-chemical signals. For such communication to be targeted, the photons would need to travel in waveguides. Here we show, based on detailed theoretical modeling, that myelinated axons could serve as photonic waveguides, taking into account realistic optical imperfections. We propose experiments, both in vivo and in vitro, to test our hypothesis. We discuss the implications of our results, including the question whether photons could mediate long-range quantum entanglement in the brain.

Near‐infrared laser photons induce glutamate release from cerebrocortical nerve terminals

“…It has been hypothesized that ultra‐weak photon emission (UPE), also called biophoton emission, may be involved in neural signal transmission (, see also ). Indeed, glutamate has been shown to induce biophoton activity in neuron circuits, and biophotons have been seen to be transmitted along neural fibers .…”

“…Here, we provide the first report that near‐infrared light can activate glutamate release from cerebrocortical slices and vesicular glutamate release from nerve terminals. The effects of photons in our experimental conditions do not allow us to speculate on the effects of biophotons, which are expected to be produced in the CNS during glutamatergic transmission activation at a similar wavelength (see ) but at much lower energy (, see also ). Although further in‐depth investigation is required with low laser energy, our findings might help to elucidate the possible mechanisms of neural information transfer via glutamate‐evoked biophoton activity.…”

Myelin Sheath as a Dielectric Waveguide for Signal Propagation in the Mid‐Infrared to Terahertz Spectral Range

“…Biological macromolecules (e.g., proteins, nucleic acids, and phospholipids) usually exhibit collective vibrations in the electromagnetic (EM) field in the infrared to terahertz (THz) spectral range . Recent studies have proposed that the myelinated nerve fibers may serve as a waveguide for optical communication . However, these studies were based on theoretical simulations, on visible or near‐infrared light, and lack direct evidence from experimental observations.…”

Transmission of classically entangled beams through mouse brain tissue

“…Special paths may exist in the brain for photons to travel through . The brain is very different from other body organs such as the breast, cervix, skin and kidney.…”

“…The photons enter the brain and travel in this maze, interacting with existing chiral proteins and lipid molecules. There is a possible existence of optical waveguide fiber–like lanes in the brain from microtubules that the photon may take upon exiting . If these classical non‐separable structure modes exist in the chiral brain, they would increase the transmission and retain coherence.…”