Quantum in Neurodegeneration: Investigating a Mechanism of Protein Damage

Sporadic cases of neurodegenerative disease affect millions globally and are characterized by lack of a single known genetic cause. We used Schrödinger’s wavefunction and de Broglie’s wavelength for a non-relativistic particle to model tunneling among principal quantum orbits. Expanding on this work, we described electron behaviour in the brief moment an atom absorbs energy. We then contextualized these findings in a biological setting, positing an imbalance in energy-emitting biochemical reactions lead to structural fluctuations in proteins. Additionally, we prove the cellular microenvironment encourages bonds and behaviour among principal quantum orbits greater than traditionally assumed. Investigating the origin of sporadic disease is crucial for therapies that target the events preceding aggregation.