Scientists can already read thoughts related to numerical quantities

According to research at Standford University, scientists can already understand with sufficient precision what people are thinking if the subjects have any relation to numbers. The report with this data was recently published in the journal Nature and had a lot of repercussion among the scholars of the segment.

However, this kind of mind reading is quite different from what we see in sci-fi movies, as it is very specific - so you can rest easy if you're afraid someone might see all your deepest, most secret thoughts. Scientists studied three volunteers suffering from severe cases of epilepsy who were admitted to hospitals to remove portions of the skull for the study. In the space removed, the electrodes were placed directly on the surface of the brain.

Electrode-monitored brains

The process of implementing the electrodes in the brain is called electrocorticography, also called ECoG, and is known to allow accurate results and detailed measurements that cannot be obtained with other techniques. The region studied by the Standford researchers was the intraparietal groove, which is responsible for mental processes involving numbers.

Dr. Josef Parvizi said that with the procedure and the necessary equipment it is possible to visualize how neurons and the brain work together. Mind monitoring occurred when volunteers answered whether numerical questions were right or wrong and when they had simple conversations that could involve numerical quantities. During math-related activities, the peak of brain activity in the intraparietal groove was quite high, revealing information that, even when not mentioned, was identified.

Excerpts from conversations such as 'a little people', 'a lot of people', 'hourly' and 'one more medicine' were easily decoded. According to experts, the range of thoughts that can trigger peak activity was much larger than expected. Dr. Thomas Thensen said recent findings in the brain branch open new doors of study.

However, Dr. Parzivi has already said to those who are concerned about segment research, “the only thing we can say is that people are thinking about numbers” - which can reassure you. Other researchers are using the same electrode procedure in these tests to better understand brain regions and their specific activities.

Via Tecmundo