13 replies to this topic

[Fudge]

Have you guys read this article?

http://www.telegraph...hter-spark.html

They claim to have found a way to double mathematical ability.

[chrono]

Transcranial direct current stimulation is incredibly interesting stuff, and very promising in terms of cognitive enhancement. Here's the actual study:

Modulating Neuronal Activity Produces Specific and Long-Lasting Changes in Numerical Competence.
Cohen Kadosh R, Soskic S, Iuculano T, Kanai R, Walsh V.

Around 20% of the population exhibits moderate to severe numerical disabilities [1-3], and a further percentage loses its numerical competence during the lifespan as a result of stroke or degenerative diseases [4]. In this work, we investigated the feasibility of using noninvasive stimulation to the parietal lobe during numerical learning to selectively improve numerical abilities. We used transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS), a method that can selectively inhibit or excitate neuronal populations by modulating GABAergic (anodal stimulation) and glutamatergic (cathodal stimulation) activity [5, 6]. We trained subjects for 6 days with artificial numerical symbols, during which we applied concurrent TDCS to the parietal lobes. The polarity of the brain stimulation specifically enhanced or impaired the acquisition of automatic number processing and the mapping of number into space, both important indices of numerical proficiency [7-9]. The improvement was still present 6 months after the training. Control tasks revealed that the effect of brain stimulation was specific to the representation of artificial numerical symbols. The specificity and longevity of TDCS on numerical abilities establishes TDCS as a realistic tool for intervention in cases of atypical numerical development or loss of numerical abilities because of stroke or degenerative illnesses.
Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PMID: 21055945 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

I'm interested in what they mean by 'artificial numerical symbols,' and why they didn't simply use regular maths. Perhaps they thought it would be more representative of foundational numerical abilities, rather than more advanced reasoning required for difficult computation using real numbers.

A few older threads on tDCS:

http://www.imminst.o...ectric-charges/
http://www.imminst.o...0-thinking-cap/
http://www.imminst.o...y-to-your-head/

Edited by chrono, 14 November 2010 - 09:36 AM.

[Animal]

When they invent a cybernetic implant that can electrically stimulate specific area's of the brain in a benign way in response to dynamic cognitive stresses, then I'll be interested.

[Logan]

I'm assuming this is similar to other electrical stimulation techniques used to treat depression.

[tintinet]

Diagram and description of TDCS in this study.

[SucubbusLT]

If you reverse the flow of electricity, you will actualy get dumber

In one of the stimulated groups, the current flow was from the right to the left parietal lobe, while in the other the direction was reversed.
Volunteers who received the right-left stimulus reached double the level of performance in the tests compared to the non-stimulated group after just a few sessions, the scientists reported in the journal Current Biology.
In contrast, those stimulated with a left-right current saw their performance drop to about the same level as six-year-old children.

- http://www.telegraph...hter-spark.html
If this is true, then I think it is amazing, even revolutionary.

[nightlight]

Does anyone sell consumer TDCS devices?

[nito]

Does anyone sell consumer TDCS devices?

see around the back in 5mins lol! No i don't but i found it funny, like you are ready to go lol!

[longevitynow]

Does anyone sell consumer TDCS devices?

They are available in Canada and I see a lot of research with them in Brazil, so I imagine you can find them there. Without having to go through FDA approval hey are probably much cheaper.

[nightlight]

see around the back in 5mins lol! No i don't but i found it funny, like you are ready to go lol!

An older relative of mine had a stroke and I would like to try helping him restore some quality of life (the rehab didn't help him very much). The targeted nature of TDCS stimulation seems to me as likely therapeutic for the localized damage caused by the stroke. As to the possible side-effects, such becoming a math genius, he said that didn't worry him very much and he will endure it.

[Ark]

link to reliable device?
Ready to become a math wizard at any cost!~

[nito]

shit im getting motivated for this myself lol! Let's see who's willing to try it out first and then let that person hopefully with his sanity intact report back some results!

[Animal]

If you reverse the flow of electricity, you will actualy get dumber

In one of the stimulated groups, the current flow was from the right to the left parietal lobe, while in the other the direction was reversed.
Volunteers who received the right-left stimulus reached double the level of performance in the tests compared to the non-stimulated group after just a few sessions, the scientists reported in the journal Current Biology.
In contrast, those stimulated with a left-right current saw their performance drop to about the same level as six-year-old children.

- http://www.telegraph...hter-spark.html
If this is true, then I think it is amazing, even revolutionary.

That makes sense when you consider the difference in logic/abstract reasoning hemisphere dominance.

[Heisenberg]

Interesting. I remember seeing such a device marketed under the name Mind Alive. Has anybody used it and could report on experience?