'Brain-reading' Methods Developed

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The research showing that specific mental functions do not correspond directly with certain brain areas but rather a unique pattern of neural connections also provides a more accurate direction for mapping the effective connectivity of the brain. Known as the Connectome Project, the goal of researchers involved in that work is to provide a complete map of the neural circuitry of the central nervous system.

“What our research shows is that if you want to understand human cognitive function, you need to look at system-wide behavior across the entire brain,” explains Hanson. “You can’t do it by looking at single cells or areas. You need to look at many areas of the brain to even understand the simplest of functions.”

The study involved 130 participants, each of whom performed a different mental task, ranging from reading, to memorizing a list, to making complex decisions about whether to take monetary risks, while being scanned using fMRI. The researches were able to identify which of eight tasks participants were involved in with more than 80-percent accuracy by analyzing the participants’ fMRI data against classifications developed from the fMRIs of other individuals. The researchers also were able to identify what class of objects (faces, houses, animals, etc.) a person was viewing before he or she could report that information by analyzing the pattern of brain activity at the back of the brain where information is processed and then conveyed towards the frontal regions associated with awareness.

“It’s like looking at two patterns of identical flower arrangements,” says Hanson. “They each may have the same flowers but they will not be arranged exactly in the same manner, consequently leading to slight differences in the overall pattern. Using the pattern analysis methods we have developed, there are clues that can be detected and pulled out.”

As part of their continuing research, Hanson and his team plan to develop a system for identifying neural connectivity abnormalities to assist with the study of such mental disorders as attention-deficit hyperactivity and autism and to produce a handbook for many of the new tools used for pattern analysis and the classification of mental states based on neuroimaging data.

www.sciencedaily.com...

Wow. This made me think of minority report and thought crimes...

While it could have some amazing benefits, it could also have some amazing downfalls...

I've thought about how certain people, such as serial killers or other criminals may be able to be cured of urges and or memories by making changes similar to a labotomy or other.

Some people have been said to have lost their past memories and had to learn some things all over again. I guess, in a way, this would be like brain washing or rebooting the brain?

Why it is that some people may lose half their brain function and the other half takes over, while others are permanently impaired or seriously brain damaged for life with greatly reduced function.

This new field of study is very interesting and I look forward to reading and seeing more on it.

reply to post by aleon1018


When they perform a lobotomy they pretty much take out the part of your brain that makes you in fact you.

This is cool stuff. The brain is an astonishing product of evolution.

Originally posted by Welfhard
This is cool stuff. The brain is an astonishing product of evolution.

Lol Its just a lump of 3 pound meat. Which one thinks does all these weird and wonderful things.
The Mind is the actual marvel

Originally posted by Epsillion70

Originally posted by Welfhard
This is cool stuff. The brain is an astonishing product of evolution.

Lol Its just a lump of 3 pound meat. Which one thinks does all these weird and wonderful things.
The Mind is the actual marvel

I must have misunderstood somewhere. I had heard the brain was mostly fat. Fat-head, cheese-head etc.

reply to post by Epsillion70


Totally. I have been arguing with someone else on another thread for ages now about it. He is saying that awareness and sentience cannot be a product of the brain, but has to be a product of a spirit.

Here is a video where they do something similiar to a monkey.

Cool Stuff! I would hate for someone to try and downgrade the significance of understanding how our Brain works.DO NOT FRET! You can still keep hold of the Idea of a Soul that transports you to an afterlife forever. Mapping the Brain will be a WONDROUS feat of Science that will help humanity to end the suffering for millions of people affected by neurological disorders.

Attempting to stifle this type of research or discredit it only makes yourself look ignorant and uneducated.

i guess if you can "map" it correctly, you can harbour the soul.
doesn't THAT open a can of slippery & tubular little earth swimmers?