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February 9th, 2007, 08:55 GMT · By Stefan Anitei

Could We Read Thoughts?

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This is our worst nightmare: not to be permitted our last refuge, the intimacy of our thoughts.

It's like in those futuristic totalitarian societies from SF
movies.

Recently, a group led by John-Dylan Haynes of the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, Germany has discovered - using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) - activity paths in the brain's prefrontal cortex as subjects concentrated on their choice of two future actions.

The team could distinguish cortical activity models linked to the subjects' different plans.

Previous studies had found that the prefrontal cortex turned on when people engage in goal-related neural processing; but until this study, it was not clear if patterns of activity in the area could depict the individual's current intention.

What was regarded as goal-related activity could also represent other actions, like preparing for a motor response, accessing past memories, or keeping in mind the choice.

The team observed the brain activity while subjects concentrated on their choice of intentions, prior to the proper action. The subjects were asked to choose freely between adding or subtracting two numbers and were asked to keep in mind their intention until those numbers were displayed on a screen, along with a choice of outcomes (one was correct for the addition choice, the other for the subtraction choice). After that, the subjects revealed the correct answer as they intended.

The team discovered that during the time period between the subjects' choice and execution of the task, two regions of the prefrontal cortex presented increased activity and could have been behind the two actions (addition or subtraction) they had chosen to pursue.

Many activity paths were discovered during the actual execution of the task, revealing that different brain substrates were activated in task preparation and execution. Intentions were strongly linked to the medial prefrontal cortex, and most researchers regard this brain region as a mirror of an individual's mental state.

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READER COMMENTS:


Comment #1 by: why? on 11 Oct 2008, 08:35 UTC reply to this comment

even though having the ability to read peoples thoughts would be an excellent way to solve problems, i.e. crime.

This would also cause alot of arguments in todays society, because inturn....causing people to claime ideas which are not there's. there's.
its can also help twisted people like rapest, easily find out that address, phone number and many other personal details of there next victim.

this would be a great skill that has many benefits, but can also bring many problems into our society, to be honest it depends on your outlook and stance in our community.


Comment #2 by: NmK on 15 Dec 2008, 07:30 UTC reply to this comment

Well put. The only thing we have left 100% private is our thoughts. Why in the world would you jeaporize our final stand against privacy. There are things that go thru peoples head that should never ever known by anyone but that person who thought the thought. I understand that they figured out how a few areas work and preform during certain normal tasks but its not even possible to read a mind using this method until it has been completley used on every action a humnan does so that they know what wave does what ect. Hi


Comment #3 by: girl on 28 Jul 2009, 15:55 UTC reply to this comment

i dunno what it is but i can read my xs mind all his thoughts and what he is thinking and what he does everyday. i love him to death and now only neighbors we send each other messages and though its been a year since the break up i stiil dream with him. he knows all my thoughts and secerts not because i told him but he does the same he cant stop dreaming about me or thinking about me. we have dreams of little things that will happen in the future and can have conversations.....i swear its all true i dunno why. is it possible to love someone so much you can read their mind..because this is exactly what it feels like.


Comment #4 by: Anthony on 23 Jan 2010, 02:09 UTC reply to this comment

Yes it is very possible to read ones thoughts, it's easier then you think, i believe it is a gift that should only be given into the right hands, "why?" has a point people could use it for terrible things
and NmK clearly you have a probelm with this, because you must think about some terrible things, so the idea of someone reading your mind must scare you greatly because deep down you know, if someone knew what you were thinking people would be disgusted with you.

But it tends to be a much worse situation, it would seem everyone (or at least almost everyone) thinks of the same terrible things, weather its murder, rape, wanting to steal something, or things far worse, some think about children and in my honest opinion anyone who cant control thier thoughts do not desevre to have such an abiltiy, or an extreme do not desevre to have the abiltiy to even think.

There are both pros and cons, and seeing the behaviour of human beings today, the cons would out-weight the pros. Such a gift should only be given to the enlightened, someone who would n ever use it for thier own gain, but to help others.

And last but not least girl, it sounds like you and your ex are meant to be together, seeing how you 2 keep having dreams of eachother hear eachothers thoughts (something that happens in close relationships)it's logical to assume your his soul mate, but you must have broken up for a reason.

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