Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41373695›Full record

ReviewInternational journal of molecular sciences2025

The Quantum Brain: The Untold Story of Docosahexaenoic Acid's Role in Brain Evolution, Biophysics, and Cognition.

Michael A Crawford, Lawrence A Horn, Thomas Brenna, Catherine Leigh Broadhurst, Simon C Dyall, Mark Johnson, Walter F Schmidt, Andrew J Sinclair, Manahel Thabet, Yiqun Wang

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in International journal of molecular sciences, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Michael A CrawfordInstitute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-8770-753X
Lawrence A HornIndependent Researcher, Bethesda, MD 20816, USA.
Thomas BrennaDell Pediatric Research Institute, Dell Medical School, Austin, TX 78712, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-9494-4245
Catherine Leigh BroadhurstUS Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA.
Simon C DyallSchool of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London SW15 5PU, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-7591-4219
Mark JohnsonInstitute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-1096-9918
Walter F SchmidtUS Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA.
Andrew J SinclairFaculty of Health, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood VIC 3125, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-9515-9721
Manahel ThabetKing Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), P.O. Box 11442, Riyad 11442, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0003-3593-552X
Yiqun WangInstitute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-4225-3033

Funding

Mother and Child Foundation UK NA
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the dominant polyunsaturated fatty acid in photoreceptors, neurons, and synapses, is usually described as a passive structural membrane constituent. We propose a different view: DHA is a quantum-electronically active molecule whose methylene interrupted double-bond system creates an electron-rich matrix that couples with proteins to form quantum "clouds" and high-speed signaling central to recognition, recall, and cognition. Integrating evidence from molecular evolution, biophysics, and neuroscience, we argue that, as the original chromophore, DHA's unique properties enabled the emergence of the nervous system and continue to provide the electronic substrate for cognition. By suggesting that cognition depends not only on protein-based mechanisms but on DHA-mediated electron dynamics at the membrane-protein interface, this perspective reframes DHA as an active, conserved determinant of brain evolution and function.

Indexed as

BrainCognitionDocosahexaenoic AcidsAnimalsBiological EvolutionBiophysicsHumansQuantum TheoryDocosahexaenoic Acidschromophoredocosahexaenoic acid (DHA)electron tunnelingentanglementHamiltonianHebbian LearningHilbertmethylene interruptionsemiconductor

Identifiers

PMID41373695
PMCPMC12691854

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.