We’re not there yet, but progress has been made towards improving and correcting the workings of our brain.
Think about it. We already do it by certain means (caffeine and alcohol come to mind…), but this story goes further, into electrical intervention, transcranial stimulation, and deep brain stimulation.
But why would we even need to improve our brain?
Animated images and even a video to get you past the initial misconceptions for what it’ll take to “build” a better brain help explain nicely.
With transcranial stimulation (used to boost memory and concentration) a current to the brain from outside the scalp is used – it’s non-surgical.
With electrical intervention (intriguing to fathom), “benefits” can be turned on and off like the flip of a switch. Switch ‘on’ and you have an attention-enhancing stimulator, switch ‘off’ when finished…!
A third method has already helped 100,000 individuals; however it’s geared towards some serious medical situations.
The full article begins:
“How will the future change the human brain? This week’s Big Future takes a look at a new wave of neurological techniques that directly alter the brain’s electrical patterns, correcting seizures and movement disorders. Some doctors are even experimenting with using it to treat depression. Could the same technology be used to correct more fundamental mental properties like attention span? We’re still early in the research, but there are already plenty of projects aiming to give human beings greater control over the inner workings of the brain.”
You can find it on The Verge, in Russell Brandom’s piece titled “The Big Future: Can we build a better brain?“.
source: the Verge
