Scientific analysis: Does human consciousness originate from the electromagnetic field of the brain?

 According to foreign media reports, Christof Koch is a neuroscientist. Recently, he put forward in the closing words of his new book "The Feeling of Life": "The brain is the most complex active substance in the known universe. What makes its activity become the sensation of life itself?" He believes that consciousness is produced by the brain, and its complexity is far beyond our imagination.

In his book, Koch described the latest experimental work of Stanford University neuroscientist Kieran Fox (Hermes Replica) and his colleagues. They explored the effect of electrical stimulation of the brain and revealed an orderly principle, that is, a The farther the sensory input or motor output structure of the brain area is, the less likely it is to participate in our subjective experience. Koch pointed out that precise data provides key causality, not just observation, using evidence to determine the neuronal relevance of consciousness.

　　 Neurons related to consciousness are considered to be necessary for the occurrence of consciousness in the brain. Consciousness is only related to neurons, and these correlations are the synaptic firing patterns of specific parts of the brain. This is the traditional view of neuroscience. In other words, if we analyze the brain deeply, we will find that different types of neurons produce electrochemical synaptic stimulation, which is the consciousness that life feels.

　　 "This is a jaw-dropping moment. We will tell every scientist that the brain's electromagnetic field is where consciousness is."

　　 What if consciousness originated from the electromagnetic field generated by the brain's nerves? The magnetic field of the brain is produced by various physiological processes in the brain, but it is mainly produced by the transmembrane current passing through the neuron. These magnetic fields always oscillate. They gather at different speeds in a specific band, from the bottom delta band ( delta) 1-2.5 oscillation periods per second to gamma band (gamma) 40-120 oscillation periods per second.

　　 Some neuroscientists have long believed that the brain's oscillating electromagnetic field is very interesting, but this is only a feature of the brain's "collateral phenomenon", like the train whistle on a steam-powered train. The electromagnetic field of the brain may just be noise that does not affect the normal working of the brain. Koch is inclined to this view.

　　 Koch pointed out that although we are still in the early stages of brain exploration, it is foolish to absolutely exclude any physical process. As an electrophysiologist, I am not too keen to attribute specific functions to specific electromagnetic field bands. I think that on the time scale related to consciousness (5-500 milliseconds), the cause between neurons is the action potential, which leads to the synaptic release of neurotransmitters.

He believes that the extent to which the brain's electromagnetic field oscillations affect the firing patterns of neurons is still an open question. Think about the sounds of heart beating. These can be detected by a stethoscope and can be used to diagnose heart conditions. However, There is no evidence that the body uses these sounds for any function.

Professor Wolfgang Klimesch of the University of Salzburg in Austria proposed the "Dual Hierarchical Brain-Body Oscillation Theory", which believes that consciousness is the internal brain and the brain and other organs (such as the heart and The function of different degrees of resonance between the stomach).

He said: "As for Koch's point of view, the electromagnetic field of the brain is too weak to perform the role of advanced brain functions. If it is only regarded as an oscillation, it is correct. The critical point is the interaction and synchronization between oscillations, even if every Each vibrator is very weak, and the synchronization between them also triggers a strong and very selective force."

Koch’s collaborator, György Buszaki, stated in the 2004 debate that the electromagnetic field of the brain performs various functions, including connecting different areas of the brain, promoting synaptic changes, and creating and consolidating memories. . So he admits that these magnetic fields are functional, unlike the sound of a beating heart or the sound of a train whistle.

　　The famous German neurophysiologist Pascal Fries also supports the functional role of the brain's magnetic field. In his research, he emphasized the role of field synchronization in different parts of the brain in changing the mode of communication, thereby changing consciousness. These dynamic changes exist in "the stricter anatomical structure of the brain."

Perhaps the most recent research report that supports the generation of consciousness by electromagnetic fields in the brain was written by the Dominic Durand Research Group at Case Western Reserve University in the United States in 2019. They detected the slow electromagnetic field oscillations (less than 1 Hz) in the hippocampus of the brains of decapitated mice. . Researchers found that slow electromagnetic field oscillations can trigger the activity of neurons that do not have synaptic connections. If they do not have synaptic connections, they cannot communicate through synaptic discharges. The research team led by Durand pointed out that the results support the hypothesis of the endogenous electromagnetic field. Previous views believed that the brain electromagnetic field is too weak to trigger neural activity, but it plays an important role in the self-propagation process of slow-cycle activities in the hippocampus.

　　 However, Koch is skeptical of the results of these studies because their statistical validity and range of effects are controversial. He said: "Of course, in a certain sense, any neural mechanism cannot be absolutely excluded (Hermes Lindy 30cm On Sale), as long as they do not violate the laws of physics, like most new scientific discoveries that challenge consensus, other teams will not Not repeating Durand's research makes people feel that the research is more convincing.

It is still too early to assert that the electromagnetic field of the brain is the main source of consciousness, but philosophers and neuroscientists have proposed the electromagnetic field theory of consciousness. The general resonance theory is one of them. Scientists are currently working hard to explore and collect more evidence. .

Interested readers should take a look at Douglas Fields' new book "Electronic Brain: How Brain Waves Read the Mind, Tell Us How to Learn, and Help Us Be Better", which serves as an introductory book in the field of brain consciousness , Explored in great detail whether consciousness originated from the electromagnetic field of the brain. He pointed out in the book that brain waves are the key to consciousness, but so far, the results of the research are relevant, and there is no proof of causality.

　　 There is no doubt that the progress in our understanding of brain anatomy and its fields will help philosophers and scientists better deal with how to ask the right questions and explore the essence of various forms of consciousness.