Article written by emerging technology, How Network Neuroscience Is Creating a New Era of Mind Control
It might come down to the same network theory that rules computer science and economics.
Complex networks form the backbone of modern society: the Internet, the aviation network, the pattern of connections between individuals. And more complex examples are constantly emerging—the way genes interact in cells, how information flows through the banking system and the ecosystem.
The more complex the system, the harder it is to control. Nevertheless, computer scientists, doctors, economists and the like exercise a modicum of control over many of these networks.
And that raises an interesting question: is it possible to exercise the same kind of control over the most complex network we know of: the human brain? Today we get an answer of sorts, thanks to the work of John Medaglia at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and a few pals who assess the discipline that is emerging at the intersection between network neuroscience and network control theory. “A critical question … is how to modulate a human brain network to treat cognitive deficits or enhance mental abilities,” they say. “We posit that network control fundamentally relates to mind control.”
The basic idea behind this kind of control is straightforward. Injecting energy into one part of a network should influence activity in other parts of the network.
In the brain, this kind of manipulation is already used in deep brain stimulation techniques, such as those used to Parkinson’s disease. This involves injecting energy into a part of the brain called the basal ganglia, which is involved in movement. This then reduces impairment of movement.
A similar technique is also used for obsessive compulsive disorder, where people experience overwhelming urges to engage in repetitive behavior. This is often associated with unusual electrical activity in the brain’s fronto-striatal circuitry. Deep brain stimulation can normalize this activity and substantially improve quality of life. <!-- Global site tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics -->
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