A proposed expansion of the Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch OR) theory of consciousness argues that the brain's resident microbiome, dominated by α-Proteobacteria at ~1,200–1,400 genomes cm⁻³ in cerebral white matter and showing reduced diversity and increased inflammatory correlation in multiple sclerosis, must be incorporated. Microbial cytoskeletal structures are proposed to participate in quantum computations analogous to those in neuronal microtubules, creating a non-deterministic neuron-glia-microbe ensemble. The author contends that deterministic AI architectures, operating on fixed parameters without microbial flux or cytoskeletal entanglement, fundamentally cannot acquire human- or animal-like consciousness.
A commentary synthesizes findings from four articles on consciousness, meditative practices, and subtle physical phenomena. One article proposes a theoretical link between consciousness and fractal processes, suggesting inherent limitations in modeling consciousness. A study on chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo reveals specific sound frequencies, increased prefrontal cortex activity, and enhanced microbial metabolism. Another describes changes in ultraweak photon emission patterns during meditation, suggesting influence on metabolic processes. A new observational study reports higher detected counts and increased variability in local natural radioactivity during chanting periods, aligning conceptually with consciousness influencing random physical systems. The commentary interprets these findings as convergent evidence across neurophysiology, biophysics, and environmental measurements, while acknowledging limitations like single-subject or small sample sizes.
The author proposes extending the Orch OR theory of consciousness—which holds that consciousness arises from quantum computations in cytoskeletal structures inside neurons—to include the possibility that microbes residing in the human brain might also possess consciousness through similar quantum processes. By incorporating the concept of brain microbiota and microbial consciousness into the existing theory, the author argues that the explanatory and predictive power of Orch OR would be greatly increased. The paper is a theoretical proposal, not an empirical study, and does not present experimental data or findings.