Mind - Matter Interaction. How does the circle close? Aleksandra Dimova

Descartes, W. James, Popper, Eccles, B. Russell, Pauli, Jung, Umezawa, Atmanspracher, and D. Chopra are just some of many philosophers, psychologists etc. who attempted, from many different starting points, to solve the aspects of mind-mater interaction. Many questions still stay open.

As a neuro-psychiatrist, my research concentrates on the missing link in the chain reaction between a stimulus and the response of an individual to this stimulus - to explain how the observed individual neuro-psycho-physiological responses after the contact to the stimulus occur.

From the beginning it becomes clear that only a framework that integrates data from multiple disciplines can help us develop a broader theory of mind-mater interaction; neuro-psychiatry, or general medicine alone are too narrow to offer a valid and comprehensive explanation.

Here I propose a new approach to the problem of how “mind and matter are related”, supported by the knowledge from physiology, psychology, psychiatry, the laws of thermodynamics, and the quantum theory. This approach allows developing a new theory which proposes the order of the sequences on the way one stimulus transfers from outside to inside of the brain and body.

It presents a new understanding of the way the consciousness of an individual influences its surrounding, its capability to “activate” a quantum of thermal energy from “something” which exists inside and/or outside of the individual, and which possesses potential thermal energy to be activated.

Beside the wide acceptance of the term “observer”, here I introduce a new term “appraiser” despite the risk of this term as a new to be confusing to readers. My intention is with extension of the role of an individual from observer to appraiser to highlight that the individual is not only a passive observer. Through appraisal of each stimulus, as an act of consciousness, the individual becomes an active creator of something new.

The model considers the mechanism on the example of an external perceived threat; however, the same principles could apply in non-threatening (pleasurable) situations.

Thesis 1:

With each appraisal of a stimulus (as a pleasure or threat) which an individual does, a new quantum of thermal energy will be activated from something which has been present outside and inside of individual.

Thesis 2:

This quantum of the new energy acts as a separate entity, a new system which - according to the laws of thermodynamics - interacts with and alters the level of thermal energy of the body of individual.

A. Surrounding - Mind - interaction

Fact: Assessment of a stimulus as a threat causes a spectrum of psycho-neuro-physiological reactions in an individual: peripheral vasoconstriction, tensed muscles, fear etc. These are well-established findings in the literature.

Hypothesis: Acute psycho-neuro-physiological reactions observed during an appraised threat are identical to the initial responses observed in a cold shock.

Fact: In cold shock and assessed threat manifest peripheral vasoconstriction, piloerection, tensed muscle, shivering, fear etc.

Hypothesis: Uniformity of neuro-physiological reactions during a cold shock and assessed threat indicates that by the act of an appraisal of a threat the body loses heat, which is followed by a subsequent drop of the temperature: hypothermia

Fact: The neuro-physiological part of the response spectrum to a cold shock: peripheral vasoconstriction, piloerection, tensed muscle, shivering etc. participates in thermoregulation and are an attempt of the body, with positive heat balance, quickly to regain body temperature set point.

Fact: According to the main principle of homeostasis the level of physiological functioning changes only in the case of a prior change of one or more variables of the inner milieu.

Most of the threat studies report stress induced hyperthermia as an answer of the body to an assessed threat. This observed hyperthermia, is only a consequence of the imperfect answer of the body to the primary threat, stress induced hypothermia. The imperfectness of the human thermoregulatory mechanisms to the coldness is fact. Human beings still have not been accomplishing perfect adaptation to low temperatures. In response to dropped body temperature, muscle tone increases with consequently release of thermal energy (heat). The amount of released thermal energy is more than necessary the set point of the body temperature to be regained. This is reason of the observed and registered hyperthermia. The problem of registered hyperthermia in threat/stress is because the measurement of the body temperature change will be preceded some minutes after exposition to threatening situation. It is to long time having in mind the ultrafast muscle contraction as an answer to appraised threatening situations

Hypothesis: Hypothermia caused by the assessment of a threat, as well as due to a cold shock, results in threat induced GABAergic hypofunction.

Fact: All symptoms which have been observed in threatening situations a) increased muscle tone, shivering - symptoms of altered central motor neurons, b) increased peripheral vasoconstriction, piloerection, increased heart rate etc. - symptoms of increased sympathetic activity, c) fear - psychological manifestation, are symptoms of GABAergic hypofunction.

Hypothesis: GABAergic hypofunction is the common trigger behind all acute neuro-psycho-physiological responses observed after stimulus had been appraised a as a threat

Fact: In the case of (threat/cold induced) GABAergic hypofunction all neurotransmitter systems under its control behave as are hyperactive. The new ratio inhibitory vs. excitatory neurotransmission changes its state compared to the state before the act of the appraisal of a threat occurs. The new state is: primary GABAergic hypofunction / secondary hyperfunction of excitatory neurotransmission.

The ratio of newly inhibitory/excitatory neurotransmission is a neural correlate of a mental representation manifested after appraisal of threat: the fear.

This imbalance explains from one side the acute symptoms of threat response: increased muscle tone, increased activity of sympathy nervous system and fear. From the other side, this explains, the noradrenergic hyperactivity observed in the case of increased activation of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. Actually this noradrenergic hyperactivity is secondary, which had been induced, due to primary threat/cold induced GABAergic hypofunction. This

differentiation has an important role in treatment strategies of due to external conditions caused adjustment, depressive, anxiety and posttraumatic disorders. The different inhibitory/excitatory ratios refers to different mental states which “form[s] a trajectory representing what is often called the stream of consciousness” (Atmanspacher, 2015) as well as the psychological-psychiatric syndromes.

Hypothesis: The changed inhibitory / excitatory neurotransmission ratio influences the value system of an individual (their picture of the world) which will be reflected in the way the individual interacts with their surroundings.

Everyday psychiatric practice shows that in the case of different psychiatric conditions (anxiety and adjunctive disorders, major depression, schizophrenia etc.) appraisal of the same situation (for example the assessment of behavior of others in paranoid schizophrenia, or assessment of one’s own behavior in major depression in the case of pathological feeling of guilty) differs before and after the treatment with psychotropic drugs. Psychotropic drugs act in the same time on different neurotransmitter systems altering their functioning level and the inhibitory / excitatory neurotransmission ratio.

In this first part we started with a stimulus (surrounding), mind and consciousness of individual which after appraisal of a threat, is followed by hypothermia and consequently a change of the inhibitory / excitatory neurotransmission ratio. This changed ratio alters the individual’s value system which will be reflected in the way the individual assesses and interacts with his surroundings. The circle of interactions: surrounding-individual- surrounding closes.

B. From the mind to the matter

Questions arising from this link are: in what way does the body of the individual who makes the appraisal lose a part of its thermal energy? To what extent does the body of the individual give off a part of its thermal energy in response to an appraised threat?

Hypothesis: With the act of appraisal of one stimulusas an act of consciousness, a new separate entity will be formed.

The idea of the influence of the consciousness on a quantum field is not new. London and Bauer proposed already in 1939 that it is “indeed human consciousness which completes quantum measurement. (Atmanspacher, 2015) Hameroff and Penrose suggested in 1990 (cited in Atmanspacher,2015) that quantum mechanical processes “can be influenced by mental intentions” and in 1996 proposed that reductions of quantum states are “an individual elementary act of consciousness” (Atmanspacher, 2015) However, the idea that the consciousness´s acts during the appraisal of the even/situation forms a new entity has not been considered previously

Appraisal of a situation - as an act of consciousness - could be the first step which, through the formation of a new entity, initiates information transit from the outside (surrounding) to the inside (body/brain of individual).

Beck and Eccles proposed that “individual quantum state collapses offer room for the influence of mental powers on brain states” (Beck and Eccles 1992 cited in Atmanspacher, 2015)

At this point including the influence of the appraisal of one situation - as an act of consciousness - the proposed model offers one option about the ways mental activity might be relevant for quantum processes.

Hypothesis: A new due to act of appraisal created entity possesses a quantum of thermal energy. In the case of an assessed threat the temperature of this new entity is lower compared to the body of the assessor.

According to the present-day understanding of the stability of the inner milieu (homeostasis), the functional level of the physiological processes changes just after a prior change of the value of the relevant variables of inner milieu. As above mentioned, the spectrum of neuro-physiological responses observed after the appraisal of a stimulus as a threat, are involved in thermoregulation to cold. The change of activity level of these thermoregulatory mechanisms happens when the body gives off part of its heat to some other object. This “other object” is the new entity. Each of the constituent particles of this new entity has to possess a quantum of thermal (kinetic) energy. In that case the new entity, with its quantum of thermal energy, will act as a disturbance variable for the inner milieu and interacts with the thermal energy of the appraiser.

Hypothesis: The temperature difference between the body and the new entity causes heat transfer and consequent change of thermal energy of the individual, i.e. his body temperature.

Fact: Respecting the First Law of Thermodynamics one object can lose a quantum of thermal energy just in the case of contact with another object of lower temperature. The change of the activity level of the thermoregulatory mechanism to cold observed after appraise of a threat, a) increase of the heat release – due to increased muscle tone and b) reduction of heat transfer to the surrounding – due to peripheral vasoconstriction, piloerection indicates loss of heat of the appraiser ´s body. The activation of the thermoregulatory mechanisms to cold which we observe in the case of an appraised threat, suggests drop of the body temperature: threat/stress induced hypothermia (TIH).

The heat transfer is dissipative. It happens always from the hotter to the colder object. Drop of the body temperature after appraised threat indicates that the temperature of the new created entity has to be lower compared to the body. Just in a case of drop of body temperature the body will respond with change of the activity level of above mentioned thermoregulatory responses to cold.

This hypothesis provides support – through a different approach – to the models which take dissipation into account when the interaction of a system with its environment is considered (Vitiello,1995) (seen from introduction of substantive revision of “Quantum Approaches to Consciousness”)

C. Location of contact between appraiser´s body and new entity

Hypothesis: Heat transfer between two objects - new entity and body of individual / appraiser - is possible just in a case of contact between them.

Fact: Heat transfer between two objects happens just in a case of contact between them. The change of the activity of thermoregulatory mechanisms after appraised threat indicates

an existence of the contact between new entity and body of individual. The place of contact between the body of the appraiser and the new entity has to be deep inside, in body core or the brain of the appraiser: otherwise the body will not react with general thermoregulation control mechanisms.

D. “Matter” of new entity.

Hypothesis: The “Matter” out of which a new entity is built has to be present and available at all times inside and/or everywhere around individual.

The “Matter” out of which the new entity is built has to have at least 2 features: a) it has to be available at all times and b) it has to have a potential that a quantum of thermal energy which will be stored in the new entity could be “created“ or “activated” out of it. This means it has to have the features of a field; it could be the quantum field. This field has to have a potential, through the act of appraiser, a quantum of thermal energy, or maybe other form of energy, to arise out of it.

This hypothesis about emergence of new entity from the field of potentials corresponds to “Heisenberg's notion of the potential, of a tendency” which “relates to the situation before measurement” (Atmanspacher, 2015). U. Warnke speaks about a “sea of all possibilities”.

E. (Thermal) Value of new entity

Hypothesis: The quantum of thermal energy (temperature) a new entity possesses represents the “value” the particular situation has for the individual / assessor at that moment.

The value system of each individual is variable. Over time it changes within same person. Most evident is the change in value system of individual when psychiatric disorders manifest themselves. This is one reason why the appraisal of the same situation may be different for different persons. This explains the individuality (subjectivity) of the neuro–psycho-physiological reactions to same situation and differences in behavior.

Hypothesis: A quantum of thermal energy of the new entity stays conserved despite of the continuously flow of thermal energy between the appraiser´s body and the new entity.

Respecting the First Law of Thermodynamics one object can lose a quantum of thermal energy just in the case of contact with other object with lower temperature. From the moment of contact between those two objects, thermal energy transfers from the warmer to the colder object until thermal equilibrium is reached (Zeroth law of thermodynamics). In the state of reached equilibrium the temperature of the former hotter system drops.

In the everyday life, after one surrounding caused hypothermia, the body possesses enough resources to reach a positive thermal balance to regain and to maintain the set point of its temperature. The thermoregulatory mechanisms will function on a higher level until the set point of the temperature has been regained. Being in contact the new entity as a colder object will have to reach the value of temperature set point. Then both systems: the body and the new entity will reach the thermal equilibrium at the set point of body temperature. When the temperature of the new entity is equal to the set point of the body temperature it will not play the role of a disturbance variable in the inner milieu anymore.

In the state of regained set point of body temperature, there should be no imbalance between the inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitter systems anymore. The symptoms (the neuro-psycho-physiological responses) caused due threat induced hypothermia should disappear as a result of the successful rebalance of the inhibitory / excitatory neurotransmission. In such case, the posttraumatic stress disorders, adjustment disorders, and depressive disorders should exist very briefly.

In a case of a existence new entity and its contact with in the appraiser’s body, the set point of the body temperature will be not reached beside continuous heat transfer from the body to the new created entity. The chronicity of the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD) indicates an altered balance between inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmission. This point out at persistent body temperature alteration, one sustained hypothermia. In the case of PTSD (as well as adjustment-, and depressive-disorders) the appraiser, with its internal (the body) and external energy resources cannot manage to regain the body temperature set point. The new entity, the product of an appraised threat acts sustained as disturbance variable.

What could be the explanation of this behavior which does not correspond to the recognized, known laws of thermodynamics? One explanation could be that the thermal value of the new entity stays fixed, „frozen“, despite the fact that according to the laws of thermodynamics, the colder entity will continuously receive thermal energy from the appraiser´s body. The value the appraiser gave to the stimulus plays a role of thermostat keeping the temperature of the new entity at one fixed value. In such a case, the new entity will act as a long term disturbance variable interacting continuously with the thermal condition of the appraiser. The consequence is chronic alteration of the ratio inhibitory / excitatory neurotransmission and appearance of psychiatric and somatic symptoms and syndromes. For me it is clear that this daring hypothesis is in conflict with the law of energy conservation.

Hypothesis: The quantum of thermal energy the new entity possesses is variable

Fact: Changes of the intensity of the neuro-psycho-physiological reactions observed during reassessment - change of the value of the traumatic life through effective psychotherapy and correction of the inhibitory/excitatory imbalance, due treatment with psychotropic agents supports this hypothesis.

F. Appraiser’s value system

Hypothesis: The value system of an individual/appraisal represents the balance between inhibitory vs. excitatory neurotransmission at that moment

This we see very clearly before and during treatment of severe psychiatric disorders such as major depression, schizophrenia, panic and anxiety disorders etc. with psychotropic drug.

Hypothesis: The quantum of thermal energy which the new entity contains is the end sum of thermal history of that system.

The quantum of thermal energy which one system contains is the end sum of thermal history of that system. It concerns also the new entity

G. Destiny of the new entity after death

The attempt to answer the question about destiny of the new entity remains unsolved for me. If an individual´s consciousness as a the creator of new entity is “conditio sine qua non” for it, “birth”, if the individual´s value system defines the content of thermal energy of the new entity, and the body and a brain give the material basis for the value system of the appraiser, with a death in absence of individual´s creative consciousness there could be two possible scenarios: a) the new entity dissolves after death, which looks wasteful from the point of view life which was “for nothing” or b) the new entity will be let free with its fixed content of thermal energy because there is no more consciousness, no more individual with his value system.

G. Discussion and Conclusion

“Mind–world interaction is taken for granted in everyday experience and in scientific practice.” (Atmanspacher, 2015)Adding the knowledge from psychiatric disorders and their treatment with psychotropic drugs to the existing body of knowledge of quantum physics, psychology, physiology, neuroscience etc., I present another option for the mind–world interaction.

The measurement problem in quantum mechanics is the problem of how (or whether) wave-function collapse occurs. Due to present-day technological restrictions it has been still not possible to observe this process. The body reactions manifested after contact and appraisal of some stimulus from the side of the individual give us potential proof that wave-function collapse under appraisal as an act of consciousness indeed happens. The presented findings give a support that “Mental causation—the mind's causal interaction with the world, and in particular, its influence on behavior—is central to our conception of ourselves as agents”. (Atmanspacher, 2015) Moving from this purely psychological, or cognitive, description to its neuro-psycho-physiological counterpart, maybe the proposed model could bring us closer to the answer of the question: What is the neural correlate of a mental representation? Inhibitory / excitatory neurotransmission imbalance as a neural correlate of a different mental representations is correct, but too broad as a definition. The experience with psychiatric disorders and their treatment with psychotropic drugs indicate that the neural correlate of a mental representation has to be a special proportion of activity of different neurotransmitter systems (GABAergic, noradrenergic, dopaminergic etc.), in different brain regions.

In my research I started from the neuro-psycho-physiological responses (symptoms) observed after appraisal of one situation (with the particular focus on a perceived threat). Working backwards, provided additional evidences about creative power of consciousness, the emergence of new entities from the “sea of all possibilities” through an act of appraisal of one stimulus. The quantum of thermal energy possessed by a new entity possesses represents the value the stimulus constitutes for the appraiser.

Starting from the interaction of an individual with an stimulus, the creation of a new entity, caused by the alteration of body temperature affecting the GABAergic neurotransmission and the ratio of inhibitory/excitatory neurotransmission, this model offers one suggestion of how the consciousness - through its influence over a quantum field - plays a role in brain processes. This was already hinted at by Stapp´s (1999) that “conscious intentions of a human being can influence the activities of his brain”. (seen from introduction of substantive revision of “Quantum Approaches to Consciousness, Atmanspacher, 2015)

The model attributes once more “a crucial role to consciousness in understanding quantum measurement” and offers an answer to the measurement problem, offering an explanation how material and mental states could be correlated.

BibliographyAtmanspacher, H., “Quantum Approaches to Consciousness,“ in Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. First published Tue Nov 30, 2004; substantive revision Tue Jun 2, 2015

Hameroff, S.R., and Penrose, R., 1996, “Conscious events as orchestrated spacetime selections,”Journal of Consciousness Studies, 3(1): 36–53.

London, F., and Bauer, E., 1939, La théorie de l'observation en mécanique quantique, Paris, Hermann; English translation, “The theory of observation in quantum mechanics,” in Quantum Theory and Measurement, ed. by J.A. Wheeler and W.H. Zurek, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1983, pp. 217–259.

Stapp, H.P., 1999, “Attention, intention, and will in quantum physics,” Journal of Consciousness Studies, 6(8/9): 143–164.

Vitiello, G., 1995, “Dissipation and memory capacity in the quantum brain model,” International Journal of Modern Physics B, 9: 973–989.

Dear reader, thank you for taking the time to consider my proposed model and I would greatly appreciate your feedback in this topic.

Copyright © 2015 by  Aleksandra Dimova <aleksandra-dimova@strong-kids.eu>

www.praxis-dimova.org