An Upper Bound on the Number of Discrete States Possible for the Human Brain

Abstract

Human brains are arguably the most complex entities known. Composed of billions of neurons, connected via a highly detailed structure where the underlying method by which functionality occurs is still debated. Here we consider one theory for neural coding, synchronization coding, which gives rise to the highest possible number of discrete states that a brain could exist in. A strict upper bound on the number of these states is determined. We conclude that the theoretical upper limit on the capacity of one human brain is almost inconceivably large and massively larger than the corresponding theoretical limit that could be obtained using every transistor ever built.