Editorial: Quantum and quantum-like effects across neuroscience
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience April 8, 2026 Michael Wiest, Daya S. Gupta 1 citation
This editorial introduces a volume on quantum and quantum-like effects across neuroscience. It describes a growing literature applying quantum probability theory to model human behavior that appears irrational from a classical perspective, emphasizing context-sensitivity. One paper systematically motivates a quantum-like statistical framework for modeling behavior beyond individual cognition, while another interprets team effectiveness data, arguing the quantum-like description reveals performance gains from interdependence. The editorial discusses potential neural implementations, including microtubules as a hypothesized substrate for functional quantum brain processes, and notes that evidence from multiple sources supports the physical plausibility of the quantum consciousness hypothesis. Two papers propose frameworks for quantitatively distinguishing classical and quantum mechanisms in the brain.