Can Brain Stimulation Sharpen Mental Skills?

[Claire.]

U.S. Military Tests Brain Stimulation to Sharpen Mental Skills

What if you could improve your mental skills with a simple jolt of electricity? If it sounds like a scenario out of your favorite dystopian TV sci-fi show du jour, think again. As Ian Sample reports for The Guardian, the days of brain-enhancing machines could be upon us with the announcement that the U.S. military has successfully used electronic brain stimulators to up its staff’s mental skills.

In an attempt to improve the multitasking and cognitive skills of members of the U.S. Air Force, researchers at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio tested a technology called transcranial direct current stimulation, or tDCS. They published the results of their work in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. tDCS is a painless form of non-invasive brain stimulation originally developed to treat psychiatric conditions like Parkinson’s and depression. In this case, however, it was put to the test on 20 Air Force members to improve the ways in which they process information while multitasking.

Read more: Smithsonian

[AdealJustice]

it would essentially be training their brains? Really interesting stuff. I hope we can a smart pill in the future  if this technique works many need it and should be a part of the education system of campuses

[Claire.]

10 hours ago, AdealJustice said:

it would essentially be training their brains? Really interesting stuff. I hope we can a smart pill in the future  if this technique works many need it and should be a part of the education system of campuses

I most certainly could have used a few jolts during exam time.

I like the concept of this, particularly as it sounds like a far better alternative to habit-forming drugs.

[highdesert50]

It appears they are using drugs to address shift work disorder and attention deficit. Why not support an eon of evolution that is more consistent with the notion of shorter shifts or maintaining more consistency with the shifts.

[Parsec]

The US Military is testing brain stimulation through electrical pulses? 

What could possibly go wrong? 

 

[Parsec]

On 11/11/2016 at 3:05 AM, Claire. said:

I most certainly could have used a few jolts during exam time.

I like the concept of this, particularly as it sounds like a far better alternative to habit-forming drugs.

I don't like the concept at all. 

But the general idea of that. 

 

Do we really have to use drugs or a mild electroshock to keep people up and focused working? 

What's next, they will have a gastric and an intestinal bypass plugged in, so they won't get distracted by such trivial things like eating and going to the bathroom? 

[paperdyer]

On ‎11‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 11:46 AM, AdealJustice said:

it would essentially be training their brains? Really interesting stuff. I hope we can a smart pill in the future  if this technique works many need it and should be a part of the education system of campuses

Sounds like a good idea for a movie and TV show!  Oh, yeah.  Already been done.  If some doctors are worried about being able to stop using the tech, it sounds like it's more of a drug.

[Parsec]

On 10/11/2016 at 4:46 PM, AdealJustice said:

it would essentially be training their brains? Really interesting stuff. I hope we can a smart pill in the future  if this technique works many need it and should be a part of the education system of campuses

As far as I understand no. 

It's more like giving them mild electric shocks in order to stay awake. 

 

Maybe they could invent a pinching machine, I think it could be as much effective. 

Edited November 16, 2016 by Parsec
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