Application of the Catecholaminergic Neuron Electron Transport (CNET) Physical Substrate for Consciousness and Action Selection to Integrated Information Theory
preprint DOI: 10.20944/preprints202111.0126.v1 (opens in new tab)
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA newly discovered physical mechanism called catecholaminergic neuron electron transport (CNET), which involves electron tunneling in layers of the protein ferritin found in catecholaminergic neurons, is hypothesized to support communication between neurons. Recent tests confirm these ferritin layers can also perform a switching function that could be associated with action selection, consistent with earlier predictions. The paper explains how this hypothesized behavior would be consistent with Integrated Information Theory (IIT), one of several consciousness theories. While no single theory is sufficient to explain consciousness, CNET may provide a physical substrate consistent with IIT and could potentially unify multiple consciousness theories into a single explanation.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Proposes that CNET, a hypothesized electron tunneling mechanism in ferritin layers of catecholaminergic neurons, could support neuronal communication and switching consistent with Integrated Information Theory, potentially unifying multiple consciousness theories. |
Abstract
A newly-discovered physical mechanism involving electron tunneling in layers of the protein ferritin that are found in catecholaminergic neurons (catecholaminergic neuron electron transport or CNET), is hypothesized to support communication between neurons. Recent tests further confirm that these ferritin layers can also perform a switching function (in addition to providing an electron tunneling mechanism) that could be associated with action selection in those neurons, consistent with earlier predictions based on CNET. While further testing would be needed to confirm the hypothesis that CNET allows groups of neurons to communicate and act as a switch for selecting one of the neurons in the group to assist in reaching action potential, this paper explains how that hypothesized behavior would be consistent with Integrated Information Theory (IIT), one of a number of consciousness theories (CTs). While the sheer number of CTs suggest that any one of them is not sufficient to explain consciousness, this paper demonstrates that CNET can provide a physical substrate that is consistent with IIT and which can also be applied to other CTs, such as to conform them into a single explanation of consciousness.