(But don't try this at home)
9-Volt Battery Wikimedia Commons
Neuroscientists at the University of New Mexico asked volunteers to play a video game called “DARWARS Ambush!”, developed to help train American military personnel. Half of the players received 2 milliamps of electricity to the scalp, using a device powered by a simple 9-volt battery, and they played twice as well as those receiving a much tinier jolt. The DARPA-funded study suggests direct current applied to the brain could improve learning.
This type of brain stimulation, called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), is controversial but could show promise for treatment of various neurological disorders and cognitive impairments. Click through to Nature News for a thorough overview.
It’s different from transcranial magnetic stimulation, in which a magnetic coil running at high voltage is positioned close to the head. The magnets stimulate electrical responses in the brain. Transcranial direct current stimulation is just what it sounds, applying the current directly to the brain.
We’ve been hearing quite a lot about these methods lately, and the scientific literature indicates the fields — tDCS in particular — are experiencing a revival, Nature News points out. Scientists hope the methods could be used to treat depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, stroke and autism, as well as to improve learning by increasing the brain’s plasticity.
Researchers are beginning to understand how an external electrical current affects brain function, including by inducing changes to the flow of electricity across neurons and increasing the expression of certain synapse proteins.
Apparently, it takes very little electricity to do all this. But please, don’t start hooking up 9-volt batteries to your brain — leave that to the scientific studies.
I honestly do not know how I feel about this. the thought of a battery getting zapped in me and going to my brain scares me. and who would want t get shocked with a battery just be better at video games? I know I wouldn't.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is the worst idea ever because the 9-volt batteries wont help your brain to develop on the thinks you need in life and it wont help you understand thinks more clearly it scares everybody that hears about the 9-volt batteries cuz nobody want to hook up the 9-volt batteries in the brain that scientific created
ReplyDeleteI think this is not a smart idea because who wants 9 volt batteries zapped in your brain. I feel like that could be life threatening. And how can u get better at anything with a battery zapped in your head? We're not machines.
ReplyDeleteI'm optimistic about lots of things but this is not one of them this is absurd. This seems like it could affect the brain on so many different levels in the long run. This experiment doesn't have me sold.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is not smart at all because. Who wants 9 volt batteries zapped into your Brain that isn't so smart that could kill you we are humans not a robot you can operate on
ReplyDeleteThis idea is not the best. The thought of getting zapped by a 9 volt battery is bad, just imagine what your brain would turn out looking like after you do this multiple times. I honestly wouldn't need this to be good at video games. Worst Idea Ever!
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a very bad idea because if a scientist is hooking a 9-volt battery to someone's head, it could easily kill them by a heartbeat. So I think that this shouldn't be used on humans.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's a good idea because of me just thinking about a battery been zapped inside of me is scary. What if I brain stop working after we tried this idea too many times? I also think for the people who have a lot of medical problems this will only make it worse .
ReplyDeleteI think this isn't such a bright idea. Who wants a 9- volt battery to your brain. I know I don't. It sounds very dangerous and the only positive outcome is that it makes you play better at video games. Being good at video games isn't going to help me with my future career. So therefore I pass
ReplyDeletei don't think this is a good idea at all. I mean think about it, a 9-Volt battery to you brain. i don't even think that sounds like something someone would want to take part in. Plus this sounds super dangerous.
ReplyDeleteI'm the type of person to try anything because it seems interesting;however, this may be a little too far. Even though I can relate to this on another level because I love to play video games , I still won't risk my brain being damaged. If there was another way to possibly become a better player, I would test it out.
ReplyDeleteI don't think this is a good idea. Video games aren't that important, its very unlikely for someone to get a career in video gaming. The 9-volt battery to your brain could be dangerous, like what if it causes brain damage or something else on the brain, not a good idea. I would never try this out.
ReplyDeleteI do not think this is a good idea at all. I do play a lot of video games , but no video game is worth damage to my brain .I couldn't even think of one person i know that would even let this be tested on them . This is to risky and to dangerous for a cause that really isn't even worth it .I do not like this at all
ReplyDeleteNo, this is dumb. I'm not a video game player but even if i was being zapped by a battery in my body is not worth being better at a video game. What would make somebody even think of this? You really would have to love video games to to the the measures of this. Its just to crazy and dangerous for me.
ReplyDeleteI think this is one of the worst ideas ever! I think no one wants a 9 Volt Battery to their brain. I would never do this. Besides this probably is extremely dangerous.
ReplyDeletei think this idea is dumb.... im not even a video game player but I don't think be good at video games is that serious. who would wanna be zapped with a battery anyway it sounds extremely uncomfortable.
ReplyDeleteI think that having a battery zap your brain does not make sense since you don't need more electricity in your body than what you have. I like playing video games but being zapped in the brain is just plain stupid. If you want to be good on a game is to practice, don't zap your brain because it ain't gonna help you.
ReplyDeleteI think this is stupid and pointless because what if something went wrong and you could get seriously injured you can't do anything . Plus what does improving in video games really going to do for you ? I honestly think that no one would really try this .
ReplyDeleteI don't like the idea of getting shocked. Plus it is for video games which is stupid. But if it was for something productive it would be cool. But for video games it is useless.
ReplyDeleteI think this has pros and cons. But overall i think this idea is cool and could potentially have a lot of effect on our future. If this really works and helps all the things it listed then this would solve so many problems in our world. Although this is dangerous, like how do we know this doesn't cause brain damage or cause cancer. Things we may not see the effects from till later on in someones life..
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time I've thought one of these where a bad idea. This is totally dangerous. I DO NOT think they should use this on humans. This is just a little too risky.
ReplyDeleteI really like playing video games, especially Grand Theft Auto && Call of Duty. I personally wouldn't try this, it seems dangerous. Shocks to the brain seems unhealthy and strange. This seems like its a bad idea.
ReplyDelete