Brain Enhancement Breakthrough?Steffani Jacobs, Assistant Editor
Aug. 12, 2014, 04:44pm
Think brain enhancement is a Hollywood creation? Think again.Well, you won't be able to run faster, think quicker, or remember absolutely every detail from the passed 20 years, but the U.S. military is experimenting with brain enhancements that might increase the functional capacity your gray matter.
Dr. Mike Weisend, a senior research scientist at the Wright State Research Institute in Beavercreek, Ohio, is developing a way to enhance the brain. It's called neuroimaging-guided transcranial direct current stimulation - quite a mouthful - or simply, tDCS. As complicated as that sounds, it's actually quite "simple."
The device uses electricity to stimulate the brain in all the right places for enhancement, according to the DoD.
tDCS works by passing a small electric current through the brain, thus "jump starting" that part of the brain, allowing the enhancement to happen.
"We came up with a map of the brain which showed all the brains of people who are performing at expert levels differ from the people performing at novice levels," Dr. Weisend told Jessica L. Tozer, a blogger for the Department of Defense Armed with Science blog. "Then we made a mathematical model of the head (based on an MRI) and used that mathematical model to help us position electrodes to essentially jump start the piece of the brain that would aid the transition from novice to expert."
But don't get too excited, as this capability isn't going to be downloadable information like in "The Matrix." And no, you won't turn into some ass-kicker like Scarlett Johansson in "Lucy" or be able to predict the stock market like Bradley Cooper in "Limitless."
tDCS will only work on already existent natural abilities, ergo the term "enhancement."
"It's an enhancement of your natural ability," Dr. Weisend said.
So what would be the point, then?
Well, Dr. Weisend thinks that this will help soldiers control stress and reduce errors. The ultimate goal is to help in transitions from combat to civilian life, even helping with PTSD and traumatic brain injuries.
http://warrior.scout.com/story/1429966-brain-enhancement-breakthrough
