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Stanford scientists have administered electric jolts to mice in response to a pattern of brain activity in the nucleus accumbens that occurs just before "impulsive behavior" (in this study, overeating). This reportedly disrupts the impulse and the impulsive behavior, but not normal behavior. The lead author of the study says the research could lead to a brain implant that could "predict and prevent a suicide attempt, a heroin injection, a burst of binge eating or alcohol intake, or a sudden bout of uncontrolled rage":
Just imagine if you could predict and prevent a burst of binge eating or alcohol intake, a heroin injection, a sudden bout of uncontrolled rage or a suicide attempt. The world would be a better place.
Long journeys start with first steps. In a study [open, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1712214114] [DX] published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Stanford researchers led by neurosurgeon Casey Halpern, MD, have identified, both in mice and in a human subject, a signature pattern of electrical activity in a small but important deep-brain region called the nucleus accumbens just a second or two before a burst of impulsive behavior.
The nucleus accumbens is the hub of the brain's reward circuitry, which evolution has engineered to reinforce survival-promoting actions by inducing pleasure in anticipation or performance of those actions. The researchers showed in mice that supplying a small electrical jolt to the nucleus accumbens as soon as the electrical signature manifested there stopped the mice from overindulging in fatty food — without messing up the rest of their natural activities.
"Impulses are normal and absolutely necessary for survival," Halpern said when I interviewed him for our news release on the new study. "They convert our feelings about what's rewarding into concrete action to obtain food, sex, sleep and defenses against rivals or predators."
Which dystopian novel do you want to compare it to?
Also at NPR.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by idiot_king on Tuesday December 19 2017, @04:00PM (5 children)
It only works for impulsiveness, so unfortunately it looks like Trump supporters can't be controlled after all... Sad.
However it does mean that mass shootings could be culled without Trumpweenies screaming like the children they are about their beloved and all-sacred and somehow Christian second amendment.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by DannyB on Tuesday December 19 2017, @04:18PM
Question: is tweeting at 3 AM from a solid gold toilet considered impulsive behavior?
What about: "I can't help myself! I grab them by the covfefe. With a mouth full of tic tacs."
Or asking for Diet Coke #5 of 12 for today?
Or a McDonald's order of: 2 Big Macs, 2 Filet O Fish, and Chocolate Shake. (Yuk! Gross!)
Is starting a nuclear war impulsive behavior? Especially if one has already publicly expressed the idea that nuclear war is perfectly acceptable.
Just wondering.
Help me Obi Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope.
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(Score: 4, Insightful) by DannyB on Tuesday December 19 2017, @04:31PM (3 children)
As for that 2nd amendment thing you mention.
Crazy people should not have guns. Yet there seems to be resistance to the very idea of trying to prevent crazy people from obtaining or possessing guns. Maybe it's just me, but I seem to have this absurd idea that it would be quite reasonable to have regulation of firearms that prevented crazy people from obtaining firearms.
The regulation would need to define "crazy". But then someone would try to define crazy as: anyone wanting to own a firearm.
With this electrical jolt impulse control, maybe the jolt could be administered whenever a finger is inserted into the trigger area. But that could lead to an undesirable outcome if it induces muscle twitches.
Please remember this holiday season that firearms make excellent gifts for the entire family. Family packs available at participating retailers. Check out the new Starter Guns sized just right for the little ones. Please use firearms responsibly when drinking. The NRA offers discounts to those who can show proof of mental impairment or illness.
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(Score: 1) by khallow on Tuesday December 19 2017, @08:02PM (2 children)
Because such rules aren't argued in good faith. You may be sincere, but there are way too many who aren't. After all, it's not that hard to argue that people who have lots of guns are crazy people and hence, shouldn't be allowed to obtain firearms.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday December 19 2017, @08:14PM (1 child)
Yep. As I pointed out. That is exactly the problem. How do you define crazy.
I strongly suspect that there are sane people who own firearms. They don't go drinking and shooting. They don't brag about their weapons. Etc.
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 19 2017, @10:12PM
I''ll let this [azlyrics.com] here and slowly back away.