Professor P. Grigolini
The Center for Nonlinear Science is actively working for the medical applications of a theoretical effect recently discovered by its researchers, called Complexity Matching (CM) effect. The researchers of the Center have discovered that the transmission of information from a Poisson system A to another Poisson system B reaches the maximum when the number of random events per unit of time produced by A is equal to the number of random events produced by system B. For the complex systems undergoing the CM effect, the ordinary concept of rate does not apply. We have to define the time dependent quantity P(t), which is the probability density that an event occurs at t > 0, under the condition that an event occurs at t = 0. The conditional rate P(t) is proportional to 1/t a with a < 1. According to the CM effect the transport of information from A to B is realized with no need for A to disrupt B, if a (A) = a (B). The medical application of this effect fits the concept of allotropic medicine that Dr. B. J. West, the founder of the Center of Nonlinear Science , has been advocating for over 30 years.
The discovery of the CM effect triggered a close cooperation between the UNT CNS that for simplicity sake is here denoted as C(1), and three other centers, C(2), C(3), C(4) and C(5), where C(2) = Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Paris, C(3) = Taiwan Audio Visual Center, C(4) = Enrico Fermi Department of University of Pisa, C(5) =
Radiophysical Department of Nizhny Novgorod State University
, C(6) = Taiwan Brain Research Center, C(7) = Psychology Lab
The researchers of C(2) have discovered that the EEG is a complex system with a (B) < 1.
Professor Phil Winsor, the director of C(3) sent to C(1) his music composition. C(1) has just established that music composition is a complex process with a (A) < 1. According to the CM effect, the therapeutic function of music gets the maximum efficiency when a (A) = a (B). Thus, one of the main task of this project is to create flexible algorithms of music composition for music to match the patient's brain.
The CM effect is a kind of generalization of the well-known phenomenon of stochastic resonance. This effect, now widely accepted, was originally proved by means of the method of analog simulation, pioneered in Italy by Professor Leone Fronzoni, of C(4). Professor Fronzoni is using the same technique to support the CME effect with real experiments.
Which are the theoretical reasons why the EEG's yield a < 1? We think that it is so because an EEG signal is produced by the synchronization of many units, which, with no coupling would be ergodic. To assess this important fact, we need to create artificial EEG's by coupling many units. This research work is done by Dr. Andrey Polovinkin of C(5).
The medical application of the method requires recording EEG in real time, while the patient is listening to music composition. This crucial part is taken care of by C(6).
Finally, this interdisciplinary research project requires the intervention of psychologists. Dr. Mark Rider of C(6) is valuably playing this role. He also provides C(1) with EEG of both healthy and unhealthy people.
