Can all neurobiological processes be described by classical physics?

Abstract

We discuss results recently given in an article by M. Tegmark (quant-ph/9907009) where he argues that neurons can be described appropriately by pure classical physics. This letter is dedicated to the question if this is really the case when the role of dissipation and noise -- the two concurrent phenomena present in these biological structures -- is taken into account. We argue that dissipation and noise might well be of quantum origin and give also a possible reason why neural dynamics is not classical.