Quantum Neurology – Pseudoscience's New and Popular Miracle?

During COVID-19, misinformation spreads as fast as the virus

A few popular examples of medical fallacies:

• "Diets rich in chili peppers or turmeric protect against the virus";
• "For almost every symptom, homeopathy is beneficial";
• "Ozone can be used to clear the virus from the blood";
• "Against COVID, vitamin C must be tried", etc.

Interestingly, most people caught in these pseudoscience traps are people with intelligence and resources; unfortunately, even some doctors argue that these claims should be tried. Yet every day we encounter countless examples showing that COVID-19 must be approached seriously and on the basis of scientific evidence.

Deceptive Medical Practices Did Not Begin with COVID-19

Of course, deceptive medical practices did not begin with SARS-CoV-2 —and certainly will not end with it—but many doctors now say that conversations with patients about unproven practices leave them"frightened, exhausted, and unprepared".

Before giving more examples and introducing quantum neurology, the subject of this article, we need to provide a "definition of pseudoscience".

What Is Pseudoscience?

Pseudoscience or false science (in English, pseudoscience) is the name given to a collection of claims, beliefs, knowledge, and practices put forward using scientific arguments but lacking the standards required by scientific studies, such as materials, methods, and testability, or lacking support from sufficient scientific research. In this sense, all traditional or alternative medicine practices can be considered pseudoscience. However, there is more evidence that complementary medicine practices may provide benefits in certain medical situations (see What Is the Difference Between Complementary and Alternative Treatments?)

Dr. Steven Novella, an associate professor of clinical neurology at Yale University School of Medicine, says: "From chiropractic medicine to acupuncture, it is our professional duty to understand the pseudoscience prevalent in our culture. However, discussing these topics with patients can be difficult, especially if they have already invested time, energy, and money in treatments for which scientific evidence is lacking."

Introduction to Quantum Neurology

One such practice growing in popularity, developed by chiropractor / chiropractic specialist George Gonzalez, is a trademarked nervous system rehabilitation system called quantum neurology.

In quantum neurology, promoted as helping with everything, the practitioner uses a handheld electromechanical instrument together with LED and infrared lights for spinal cord injury or autism. A preprogrammed package of 10 of these devices is sold on Gonzalez's website for 14,000 dollars. This device also brings to mind another creation of pseudoscience: bioresonance...

Debunking Pseudoscience

Neuroscientist David Putrino calls the term "quantum neurology" "word salad". Here, unrelated concepts are linked together to sound impressive: "quantum" and "neurology"!

Quantum—or "quantum mechanics" in scientific terms—is a branch of science that studies the behavior of matter and light at atomic and subatomic levels. Quantum is one of today's magical words, like artificial intelligence. Adding "quantum" or "artificial intelligence" as an adjective to suggest that you have found or are marketing something impressive is more popular than ever...

Through his books, live demonstrations, and online class, Gonzalez claims to have trained more than 400 chiropractors in the United States and Canada. This is a small fraction of the more than 80,000 licensed chiropractors in North America, but it means potentially reaching thousands of patients.

To support the advancement of "quantum neurology", Gonzalez relies almost entirely on patient testimony, that is, personal experience, rather than scientific evidence or research. The first and most important story is that Gonzalez's wife, Lori, suffered from something resembling "cauda equina syndrome" and then sensory paralysis, but recovered through use of the "quantum neurology" system.

Personal Experience Overcoming Science

Despite lacking scientific certainty, such an experience can be perceived as the very truth by a patient. These experiences can also be self-perpetuating through the placebo effect. A practitioner's performance and belief can create a state of belief in your patient—people having high expectations about something that will happen is a neurophysiological state. As a result, patients may experience a notable improvement with such an alternative practice. However, this does not mean that the methods they used to feel better are scientifically sound; in other words, that this personal experience or claim will also apply to others...

Even if the improvement is short-lived, the patient's loyalty to the pseudoscientific treatment may continue. You encounter a situation in which there may perhaps be some effect, but it is not a lasting one, and these people become locked into payment plans and programs that go on forever, which can be quite destructive.

Evaluating Alternatives Fairly

It is important to distinguish exploitative alternative medicine practices from complementary medical practices. Complementary practices such as art therapy, meditation, music therapy, and yoga have benefits such as reducing anxiety, improving depression, and enhancing quality of life that are supported by meaningful scientific evidence.

Asked to comment on the quantum neurology technique, the American Chiropractic Association stated that it has a code of ethics stipulating"that chiropractors should not lead patients to false or unjustified positive expectations, and that advertisements likewise should not mislead patients or exploit their vulnerabilities".

Honesty, Transparency, and Care

The key to talking with patients about unproven medical approaches is honesty and transparency! It is also important to remember that when debunking a pseudoscientific claim, being overly aggressive can alienate patients.

Talking about the foundations of the scientific method encourages helping people evaluate the research behind a particular practice.

What should not be done is simply to dismiss the subject or ignore pseudoscientific claims completely. Doctors should have a reasonable knowledge of alternative claims, particularly within their own areas of expertise. If doctors shrug when patients ask about this, or say "I don't know" or "I haven't heard of it", the patient will trust the charlatan.

Openness Should Be Mutual

The patient should also be open-minded about what they are looking for. If a patient is seeking quantum neurology or another alternative therapy, this means they are not receiving something they need. Perhaps the reason they find themselves on this website or pursuing charlatans is that they are looking for something a little more holistic. When these feelings are identified in a patient, after being informed, the patient can be directed toward more reliable complementary medicine practices from which they may perhaps benefit.

The critical point here is that the doctor addresses health comprehensively (biologically, psychologically, and socially). The days when doctors could tell patients "This is stupid, don't do it!" are long behind us.