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Fueling Brain Research

Continued from page 1

By Emily Singer

Monday, February 05, 2007

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TR: What are some interesting new technologies you see on the neuroscience horizon?

CJ: I think we're going to see a big impact from human genetics. Our neighbors at the Broad [Institute], for example, have developed tools to look at individual variations in our genetic information and are looking for genes involved in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. (See "A New Map for Health.") Few genes have been identified so far, so there is really an urgent need to uncover the genetic basis of these diseases.

One of the trends we've seen in the last year or two is interest in combining genetics and brain imaging. If you identify a gene involved in psychiatric disease, you want to ask how that gene affects behavior and how it affects brain function. The brain is a black box until you look into it. The biggest challenge will be drawing all the connections between genes and behavior. How do environmental influences interact with genetics to shape the brain and influence behavior?

TR: What kinds of technologies do you want to develop?

CJ: So far, we are collaborating with Ian Hunter, a professor of mechanical engineering at MIT, who is developing nanowire electrodes that are much finer than current electrodes. (See "Tiny Electrodes for the Brain.") You can feed them into more parts of the brain while doing less damage to the tissue.

Another project is to develop new methods for fMRI. We want to create reporter molecules that are sensitive to different [chemicals] in the brain, such as calcium, an important signaling molecule. A marker that changes with calcium concentration could image neural activity with much greater resolution than current methods.

In the long term, we want to think big--high-risk, high-payoff projects. If you look at fMRI, it's a radical new way of looking at the brain. What will replace it 20 years down the line? The sci-fi view would be miniature devices that would lodge in the capillaries and record from close-by neurons and transmit that data through the skull. Think what you could do if you had high numbers of these things that could power themselves and swarm around the brain. We don't know if it can be done, but I've been told there is no theoretical reason why it couldn't.

Comments

  • nano-mites on my mind
    Of course, if you injected a bunch of nano-bots into your brain, they could do more than just record.  They could "memorize" your brain for resimulation later should you die.  They could repair damage or eventually take over lost function.  They could add new function -- Googleing stuff just by thinking (hopefully the ads will be very on topic and so not annoying). They could be used to finally achieve "telepathy" (all mystical and religious imaginings will eventually be implemented by technology -- even the 70 virgins in heaven expansion pack). That is, you could directly experience another's thoughts ... or make conscious your own internal workings of our brain. The potential for VR games would be great -- I have a feeling past this stage is the reason we never hear from extraterrestrial intelligences -- the games are just too fun to bother exploring the real world.  Anyhow, lots of fun to be had coming to a future near you.

    Of course, these things will cost energy so one day we'll all be eating supersized meals ... because we have to, or else lose our internal web game links.
    Rate this comment: 12345

    GaryB
    02/09/2007
    Posts:64
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    • Re: nano-mites on my mind
      The immune system does not welcome any "mites", and not even heavily engineered antibodies.

      Elan Pharmaceuticals tried to clear up amyloid plaques with antibodies, but the trial failed because some patients got brain inflammation. So it is going to be far more complicated than just sending in some nanodevices.
      Rate this comment: 12345

      gabrielg01
      02/12/2007
      Posts:396
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      3/5
  • Brain Computer Interface Experiments
    After reading "Fueling Brain Research", March 5, 2007, we wonder if Scientists can really be that far behind United States "intelligence" in their knowledge, or have they been instructed to keep the public unaware? This type of secret would be fine only if the United States were not brutalizing humans in BCI (Brain Computer Interface) experiments and calling it "top secret". 

    The United States of America "intelligence" is involved in BCI (Brain Computer Interface) Experiments that are shocking humans, causing them forced vomiting, forced sleep deprivation, internal bleeding, etc. These experiments aim to change human behavior by remote. This is leading to the control of not only human behavior, but a way to influence human thinking.

    This is not about implanting microchips inside the brain. Microchips are simply be put in the human body (such as the jaw area) and "stimuli" sent by directed frequencies can cause damage to humans. Then, changes that the brutal "stimuli" cause humans are sent back by remote to the "secret" computer labs. When you are shocked, for example, your heart rate may go up, breathing changes, you are distracted and your thought process is certainly interrupted.  All this is plotted automatically on distant computers. Over time, programs are changed so that when a Victim gets use to a certain "stimuli", stronger shocks, for example, can be sent. Voice tapes of the chosen Victims aid "doctors" to continue modifying and perfecting their techniques to change human behavior by remote.

    People need to read the DEFENSE NEWS 29 article, Jan. 11-17, 1993, titled "U.S., Russia Hope to Safeguard Mind-Control Techniques". Ask about the weapons called "non-lethal" at Quantico, Virginia, in the United States. Ask Senator John McCain what he knows; Rockefeller and Tierney (on "oversight" committees) know about the BCI technology and the use of it in hidden experiments on unfortunate humans. United States "Intelligence" is 20 years ahead of what is out in the real world of ethics and laws. When will the World Community stop this brutal experiment and bring out this technology for the good of humans? Keeping such deceitful experiments going may lead to scandal for the entire medical community, not just "intelligence". Is Boeing involved? We have letters from elected officials that say that the United States Air Force may be involved. Are "scientists and doctors", in the real world, willing to be so compromised in what they can and can't do while U.S. "intelligence" stays 20 years ahead of them?
    By the way, we are neither mental patients nor felons, but a family of Veterans. And, we are in danger because of what we know and what we are telling. (Note: The Bush Administration has recently sent a memo to Scientists studying global warming, polar bears, etc. warning them NOT to discuss any of these issues with news media! My goodness, imagine what the Administration orders "doctors" studying the human brain to keep from the public! Apparently, doctors are listening based on the shallow articles being published--we figured it out--it is not rocket science--get "doctors" to tell the truth about what they know).
    Dr. & Mrs. Kenneth W. Locke
    11942 Loxley Lane
    Maryland Heights, MO 63043-1236 (U.S.)
    (314) 739-4233
    Rate this comment: 12345

    cozzene
    03/08/2007
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  • BCI and Exacting Energy
    I know of a person that was unaware of what they were experiencing. This individual was physically harmed (in more ways than one) and didn't understand how these people were getting away with these assaults. It is my understanding that they began torturing this person by communicating with them in different states of mind as well as all of their time during a conscious state of mind. Also, they publicly humiliated this individual by affecting this persons motor skills, cognitive functioning, tweeking the muscles in the face as well as other muscle groups. As far as I know, this person has been tortured for years physically, psychologically, and sexually. I know they can cause a person to be perceived by others as incoherent or mislead diagnosis by health professionals. Also, I know this person has also experienced violence in the form of exacting energy on one's bodily systems, causing them vomit amongst other things. They have forced this individual to change their moods, prevent thoughts, and sustain energy in and around the body. They cause the limbs to shake with energy and force a person to smell unusual scents. I believe they have the capacity to put people in mental institutions or in prison if they are discriminated against. Of course, they are lessinging one's lifespan.
    Rate this comment: 12345

    itsme20
    05/06/2009
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  • Devices and Crime
    As far as I know they can bypass alarm systems and the like and enter one's car/home. They can commit crimes against and individual at any time. They can put a person into other states of conciousness and commit crimes upon that person as well.
    Rate this comment: 12345

    itsme20
    05/06/2009
    Posts:3
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  • Hearing and Eye Sight
    The also change what a person hears in their environment and or change their eye sight. They can change what a person is seeing in their environment. They "unlearn" an individual as well. They "mind gage" an individual by exacting energy around the head, in the mouth, and in the eyes. (It can be wet like slime or dry)of course this energy is in and around the body 24 hours a day. I think it's drawn from electrical fields especially from devices that draw energy themselves.
    Rate this comment: 12345

    itsme20
    05/06/2009
    Posts:3
    Avg Rating:
    5/5

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