Brain waves can be read by an electroencephalograph; EEG, and the four most prominent, distinguished by their frequency and amplitude, are alpha beta theta and delta waves or a,b, h and d waves in English. When our minds are particularly focused, Beta waves are dominant. When we’re pondering problems slower alpha waves are present, and when we’re creative theta waves are most apparent. The slowest waves are Delta waves, and these are associated with deep physical relaxation. If you are creative and your friends are focused then literally you could be on different wavelengths.
ONE SECOND
Brain waves on EEG scans are generated because our brains, many ways are just very sophisticated batteries. The fact that our thoughts are electric has led Alpha researchers to try harness these electrical currents and use it to power or move other objects. And you may think Telekinesis is fodder for X-men fans, but we can move objects with our minds alone. Beta Computer scientists have generated clever caps covered in electrodes that can be used to read your thoughts and convert them into actions. At what they’ve called the brain-computer interface, sensors on Delta the skull cap detect levels of electrical activity in different areas of the cortex. This cortical activity is then translated into instructions to the computer. In a Altered states of mind virtual world all the user has t o do is think In essence, different thoughts are about walking down the street, turning Gamma associated with different brain the corner or crossing the road, and the wavelengths. So if you could train character on the screen does likewise. But your brain waves to have particular patterns on an EEG, it’s at the moment the cap is only as good as the user. If a person possible you could make your brain more creative or calm and isn’t thinking clearly, the cap can’t translate the thoughts into contemplative. Interestingly, although modern science and clear actions. fancy imaging have driven this concept, people have actually been trying to train and tame their brain waves for thousands of years. Meditation is common across many ancient cultures. And it can actually influence the patterns of your brain waves. For example, during Zen meditation alpha waves are prominent. During deep Yogic meditation, the slow delta waves associated with physical relaxation are present. And during hyperconscious forms of mediation speedy brain waves up to 100Hz are produced. These super fast brain waves are rare and referred to as Gamma or hyper-gamma brainwaves. In fact, people who practice mediation on a regular basis have more hyper-gamma brainwaves than non-meditators. This means meditation isn’t just good for the soul it’s good for your synapses too.
Moving mind over matter
Magnetic personalities
Hypnosis- harnessing brain power
You might consider the watch-swinging antics of hypnotists little more than circus trickery. Yet, for some people hypnosis can be a mind changing experience. The use of hypnosis for therapy dates back to 19th century when it was used by the founders of psychiatry, Charcot and Freud. Hypnosis, works like alcohol to induce an extreme state of relaxation in people. But The Brain Gate unlike alcohol, it relies on people’s ability to become very focused on one thing. And evidence from EEG analysis shows that during hypnosis, brain wave patterns change, with the alpha waves most prominent. However, hypnosis doesn’t work for everybody. Not surprisingly, because alpha waves found during hypnosis are associated with creative impulses, so creative highly imaginative people are the most susceptible to hypnosis. In fact hypnosis might be as useful as a trip to the doctor for some people, especially when it comes to giving up bad habits like smoking.
Aside from the influence of stimulants and sleeplessness we would like to think we’re in control of our thoughts. However, it is possible for somebody else to control your mind, simply by placing some magnetic devices on your skull. Transcranial brain stimulation (TBS) may sound like a Romanian zombie’s weapon. But, TBS is in fact a means of manipulating your brain activity, with the use of magnet fields, and without the need to drill through your skull and implant electrodes. Although TBS was discovered back in the 1980s it’s more recently gaining favour, and can help people with major depression function better. Essentially TBS, works by using a handheld device, much like a hair-dryer to your skull, placed directly above the brain region you wish to stimulate. The device sends out concentrated magnetic wave pulses which act to re-orientate and interfere with existing electromagnetic fields in that brain region. Placing it over the motor cortex can lead to pulses of arm twitching for example. Much like a magnetic masseur, TBS can then help relax or awaken neurons, and if coupled with the appropriate therapy, it can train the brain to help function better.
Another way to help broken brains work is to literally re-wire them. Taking this approach, a US technology company made a chip, which allow quadriplegics to control computer consoles with their minds. The chip called the Brain Gate — the gateway between mind and machine, is only 16mm2 and contains 100 silicon electrodes shaped like pins, which pick up electrical signals from the person’s brain. By simply placing the chip in the part of the brain which controls motor movements, aka the motor cortex, it is possible to harness a patient’s thoughts about moving, and feed these
Thinking is doing
SCIENCE SPIN Issue 47 Page 11