The human brain is widely recognized to be the world's most complex, powerful computer. It is capable of taking in external stimuli in multiple formats, interpreting them, and then making split second decisions to execute complex tasks. Your brain is a big part of who you are, it's what controls your body, and attempts to seize control of that have failed throughout history.
When suddenly, along came University of Washington. Researchers at UW managed to make a fellow researcher's hand move involuntarily over the Internet.[1] While it's more correct to call it body control instead of mind control, the implication is similar- the subject of the experiment did not will his hand to move, and compared the experience to a 'nervous tick'. It's not yet known if the researcher could have stopped the movement from happening, but I believe that it's physiologically possible to bypass his brain's will completely, possibly through the use of surgical implants high in the spinal cord, or pharmacological methods to knock down higher thought.
A more famous article made the rounds a while back about MIT researchers managing to implant false memories. Granted, they managed to implant them in mice, but the researchers felt that the process was similar to how humans are already generating false memories for themselves on a daily basis.[2] The successful implantation of the memory was measured by a fear reaction, in which the mouse brain showed increased activity consistent with fear, while the mouse would freeze in response to a given stimuli that it had never actually experienced before, expecting a painful electric shock that was never coming. The process by which they go about generating these false memories is reminiscent of Pavlov's experiments with dogs, only a lot more high tech. While the research easily qualifies as dual-use research of concern, it isn't very portable, and no similar research has been preformed on humans to my knowledge. Can it be done to people? Maybe.
Humans aren't the only critters hijacking our brains, though. A number of parasitic organisms are also capable of tweaking our brains. Toxoplasmosis Gondii is a parasite that's gaining in fame for good reason. Typically, it's a protozoan (single-celled organism) infection with a cat as the domestic host and a mouse or a rat as an intermediate host. In mice, infection with the parasite is associated with a loss of fear response to the odor of cat urine, as well as increased motor activity. The hypothesis that comes to mind is that the parasite is trying to get the mouse eaten by the cat so that it can get into the cat's intestine, which is where it wants to be. In people, who can very readily be infected through the consumption of undercooked meat and/or fecal-oral transmission by cat feces (not that people are eating cat poop, but poor hand hygiene around kitty isn't advised by me), infection is associated with heightened apprehensiveness; Increased aggression, jealousy, and disregard for rules among men; Increased warmth, outgoing behavior, and persistence in women. Also, the parasite seems to negatively affect reaction time, and is associated with difficulty concentrating. There is also some suggestion that the parasite may be involved in increasing the rates of motor vehicle crashes.[3 for all of that] For further information on Toxoplasmosis, you can go here, to the references section, for information on possible neurocognitive effects, and to the CDC's webpage to learn more about Toxo in general.
The human brain's complexity and sensitivity to change has long been its defense mechanism against our tampering. One day, not too far from now, we may be able to proficiently meddle with its functions. That day, however, is not today. The MIT and WU experiments both involve tens of thousands of dollars of not extremely portable equipment, lots of time, and involved quite specific conditions. The research holds implications both in the healing arts (the WU experiment mainly holds implications for the next generation of robotic prosthetics, for example), that sounds alarming due to the potential military abuses they provide for. In science arenas, projects like these are known as dual-use research of concern, and all that means is that we need to be aware of them, and we need to be involved in how the results of these projects are applied to humanity. For example, nuclear physics research has provided both for significant improvements in our quality of living (cheap, reliable energy from nuclear power plants), as well as for weapons of incredible destructive capacity.
What can you do? Well, demanding that the research be stopped is not the optimal response. Science, being a system of observation as opposed to one of belief, is something everybody does. Elucidations and the conclusions that come of them are an inevitable part of the human condition. This research is coming from someone, somewhere, whether we like it or not. Ignoring the outcomes of these studies won't make the facts go away, so it's better to be involved in the development of their humanitarian applications, than to allow the research to be quietly developed for more subversive purposes. We're talking about the difference between a new artificial limb for a disabled veteran and a torture device. Support those politicians who support research, do your own research and draw your own conclusions when you read something alarming in the news, write to experts in the field when you have questions, and share your knowledge with others. Until next time, stay spooky, kids.
Humans aren't the only critters hijacking our brains, though. A number of parasitic organisms are also capable of tweaking our brains. Toxoplasmosis Gondii is a parasite that's gaining in fame for good reason. Typically, it's a protozoan (single-celled organism) infection with a cat as the domestic host and a mouse or a rat as an intermediate host. In mice, infection with the parasite is associated with a loss of fear response to the odor of cat urine, as well as increased motor activity. The hypothesis that comes to mind is that the parasite is trying to get the mouse eaten by the cat so that it can get into the cat's intestine, which is where it wants to be. In people, who can very readily be infected through the consumption of undercooked meat and/or fecal-oral transmission by cat feces (not that people are eating cat poop, but poor hand hygiene around kitty isn't advised by me), infection is associated with heightened apprehensiveness; Increased aggression, jealousy, and disregard for rules among men; Increased warmth, outgoing behavior, and persistence in women. Also, the parasite seems to negatively affect reaction time, and is associated with difficulty concentrating. There is also some suggestion that the parasite may be involved in increasing the rates of motor vehicle crashes.[3 for all of that] For further information on Toxoplasmosis, you can go here, to the references section, for information on possible neurocognitive effects, and to the CDC's webpage to learn more about Toxo in general.
The human brain's complexity and sensitivity to change has long been its defense mechanism against our tampering. One day, not too far from now, we may be able to proficiently meddle with its functions. That day, however, is not today. The MIT and WU experiments both involve tens of thousands of dollars of not extremely portable equipment, lots of time, and involved quite specific conditions. The research holds implications both in the healing arts (the WU experiment mainly holds implications for the next generation of robotic prosthetics, for example), that sounds alarming due to the potential military abuses they provide for. In science arenas, projects like these are known as dual-use research of concern, and all that means is that we need to be aware of them, and we need to be involved in how the results of these projects are applied to humanity. For example, nuclear physics research has provided both for significant improvements in our quality of living (cheap, reliable energy from nuclear power plants), as well as for weapons of incredible destructive capacity.
What can you do? Well, demanding that the research be stopped is not the optimal response. Science, being a system of observation as opposed to one of belief, is something everybody does. Elucidations and the conclusions that come of them are an inevitable part of the human condition. This research is coming from someone, somewhere, whether we like it or not. Ignoring the outcomes of these studies won't make the facts go away, so it's better to be involved in the development of their humanitarian applications, than to allow the research to be quietly developed for more subversive purposes. We're talking about the difference between a new artificial limb for a disabled veteran and a torture device. Support those politicians who support research, do your own research and draw your own conclusions when you read something alarming in the news, write to experts in the field when you have questions, and share your knowledge with others. Until next time, stay spooky, kids.
[3]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2526142/
[1] http://www.washington.edu/news/2013/08/27/researcher-controls-colleagues-motions-in-1st-human-brain-to-brain-interface/
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