Experimental Foundations of Continuous Neural Continuity Architecture (CNCA): A Unified Program for Neural Shadowing, Continuous Functional Transfer, Causal Takeover, State Preservation, and Rolling Replacement

This paper is the unified experimental companion to Continuous Neural Continuity Architecture (CNCA), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22999687. It converts the CNCA framework into a dependency-linked program of five falsifiable experimental modules rather than a set of disconnected protocol notes. The program comprises: E1, Neural Shadowing between coupled living neural networks; E2, continuous versus discontinuous neural transfer; E3, Functional Sharing and graded causal takeover; E4, identification of neural-state variables required for successful functional continuity; and E5, Rolling Replacement stability and scalability. Cross-cutting technical hypotheses — including interface bandwidth, developmental and plasticity matching, multicellular fidelity, consolidation interval, recovery reserve, and biological support-state stability — are embedded in the earliest experimental modules capable of falsifying them. The paper defines shared comparison conditions, quantitative metrics, causal perturbation logic, preregistration fields, progression gates, negative-result interpretations, stopping criteria, and an integrated falsification matrix. It deliberately separates operational continuity from phenomenal continuity: no successful outcome in this program would by itself demonstrate persistence of subjective identity. The near-term objective is narrower and experimentally testable — to determine whether functional dependence can move progressively between living neural substrates and under what biological, causal, and information-theoretic constraints.