# Broken detailed balance and entropy production in the human brain

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2005.02526 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2005.02526/

## Key facts

- Cited by 4 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 5 May 2020.

## Built on by (most cited first, 4 of 4)

- [Generative learning for nonlinear dynamics](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2311.04128/) (2023)
- [Possible Principles for Aligned Structure Learning Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.00258/) (2024)
- [Inferring entropy production in many-body systems using nonequilibrium maximum entropy](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.10444/) (2025)
- [A Path-Space Formulation of Prediction in World Models: From a Single Action to Prediction, Planning, and Irreversibility](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.28751/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Living systems break detailed balance at small scales, consuming energy and producing entropy in the environment in order to perform molecular and cellular functions. However, it remains unclear how broken detailed balance manifests at macroscopic scales, and how such dynamics support higher-order biological functions. Here we present a framework to quantify broken detailed balance by measuring entropy production in macroscopic systems. We apply our method to the human brain, an organ whose immense metabolic consumption drives a diverse range of cognitive functions. Using whole-brain imaging data, we demonstrate that the brain nearly obeys detailed balance when at rest, but strongly breaks detailed balance when performing physically and cognitively demanding tasks. Using a dynamic Ising model, we show that these large-scale violations of detailed balance can emerge from fine-scale asymmetries in the interactions between elements, a known feature of neural systems. Together, these results suggest that violations of detailed balance are vital for cognition, and provide a general tool for quantifying entropy production in macroscopic systems.