blueroo
05-18-08, 08:15 PM
I know you're sitting at a computer right now, but read the following line out loud. Do it. Really. Humor me!
A bird in the hand
is worth two in the
the bush
I thought I'd share two fascinating articles I just read on TMS. Using an electromagnetic pulse, TMS temporarily disrupts neuronal firing coordination by inducing a spurious electrical current in the neurons.
In this article, a researcher disrupts the speech center of volunteer Roger Highfield, Science Editor at The Telegraph. Even more impressive however is the video of the experiment.
Article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/earth/2008/05/16/scibrain216.xml
Video:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1460879018?bctid=1556691972
This scientist in Australia is studying the effects of TMS on savant-like abilities such as realistic drawing, proof-reading, and performing complex mathematics by sight. He uses TMS to target high functioning, categorical, and contextual areas of the brain in the frontal lobes. He claims that 40% of test subjects exhibit new mental skills and capabilities during TMS.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9506EFD81538F931A15755C0A9659C8B 63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1
This is fascinating work to me because it begins to address an aspect of brain function where we've had very little insight before. More than just chemical machines, our brains are electrical/chemical hybrid machines. To date, medical science has had precious few tools to precisely observe and measure electrical brain activity, let alone manipulate that activity. While TMS is an incredibly blunt tool, akin to hunting rabbits with nuclear weapons, it is not inconceivable that in the future we will be able to precisely map and measure as well as finely adjust electrical activity inside the brain.
The therapeutic possibilities are amazing. Imagine being able to disrupt or otherwise alter the part of our brain that causes pain in fibromyalgia, rage in ODD, or inappropriate sleep in narcolepsy. We could stop a seizure before it happens. If the system was advanced enough, we might even be able to help paralyzed people use their limbs and bodies again by handing control of their muscles over to a computer. The human augmentation possibilities are amazing and frighting. Could you disable the pattern matching system to find your misplaced keys in the living room? Manipulate your brain so that you can perform complex engineering calculations at will? Maybe disable certain mental distractions while driving to enhance safety? The human manipulation possibilities are frightening. Disabling fear in soldiers. Inducing terror and pain as a form of torture. Disabling speech in your enemies. Invoking a sense of calm and trust to take advantage of others.
A bird in the hand
is worth two in the
the bush
I thought I'd share two fascinating articles I just read on TMS. Using an electromagnetic pulse, TMS temporarily disrupts neuronal firing coordination by inducing a spurious electrical current in the neurons.
In this article, a researcher disrupts the speech center of volunteer Roger Highfield, Science Editor at The Telegraph. Even more impressive however is the video of the experiment.
Article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/earth/2008/05/16/scibrain216.xml
Video:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1460879018?bctid=1556691972
This scientist in Australia is studying the effects of TMS on savant-like abilities such as realistic drawing, proof-reading, and performing complex mathematics by sight. He uses TMS to target high functioning, categorical, and contextual areas of the brain in the frontal lobes. He claims that 40% of test subjects exhibit new mental skills and capabilities during TMS.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9506EFD81538F931A15755C0A9659C8B 63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1
This is fascinating work to me because it begins to address an aspect of brain function where we've had very little insight before. More than just chemical machines, our brains are electrical/chemical hybrid machines. To date, medical science has had precious few tools to precisely observe and measure electrical brain activity, let alone manipulate that activity. While TMS is an incredibly blunt tool, akin to hunting rabbits with nuclear weapons, it is not inconceivable that in the future we will be able to precisely map and measure as well as finely adjust electrical activity inside the brain.
The therapeutic possibilities are amazing. Imagine being able to disrupt or otherwise alter the part of our brain that causes pain in fibromyalgia, rage in ODD, or inappropriate sleep in narcolepsy. We could stop a seizure before it happens. If the system was advanced enough, we might even be able to help paralyzed people use their limbs and bodies again by handing control of their muscles over to a computer. The human augmentation possibilities are amazing and frighting. Could you disable the pattern matching system to find your misplaced keys in the living room? Manipulate your brain so that you can perform complex engineering calculations at will? Maybe disable certain mental distractions while driving to enhance safety? The human manipulation possibilities are frightening. Disabling fear in soldiers. Inducing terror and pain as a form of torture. Disabling speech in your enemies. Invoking a sense of calm and trust to take advantage of others.