Electric shocks to brain help students solve maths problems, scientists say

[muriel_volestrangler]

Psychologists at Oxford University found that students scored higher on mental arithmetic tasks after a five-day course of brain stimulation.

If future studies prove that it works – and is safe – the cheap and non-invasive procedure might be used routinely to boost the cognitive power of those who fall behind in maths, the scientists said. Researchers led by Roi Cohen Kadosh zapped students' brains with a technique called transcranial random noise stimulation (TRNS) while they performed simple calculations, or tried to remember mathematical facts by rote learning.

In the study published in Current Biology, 25 students had electrical pulses fired across their brains, while 26 others had a sham treatment, in which they thought they had brain stimulation, but the equipment was turned off.

In tests afterwards, the students who had their brains stimulated solved maths puzzles 27% faster than the control group, suggesting that their brains were working more efficiently.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2013/may/16/electric-shocks-brain-maths-scientists

Don't tell Michelle Rhee ...

[Agnosticsherbet]

1. If this system proves safe, it should be installed in Congress...

Just the number of times they have tried to repeal the Affordable Car Act shows they can not do math.

[mike_c]

3. only if the dial goes to 11....

[FiveGoodMen]

5. I'd recommend it for Congress even if it doesn't work.

[LiberalEsto]

2. If only I'd known this many years ago when I took Algebra I & II in high school

Being able to cope with math would have made it possible for me to major in botany instead if English.

[bananas]

4. How does it compare to coffee? nt

[pokerfan]

6. Aversion therapy can indeed produce amazing results

[Thor_MN]

7. Ve haf vays auf making you Calculate...

[defacto7]

8. I can just see

the helicopter parents with electrodes in hand....

[napoleon_in_rags]

9. Another damn neuroscience breakthrough I can't buy.

Its the same thing with the "God Helmet".
http://www.innerworlds.50megs.com/God_Helmet/god_helmet.htm
Oh, you've made this big breakthrough? Don't try it at home? Fine, put it on the Internet for sale cheap, so we can try it. We'll sign the liability wavers, whatever. But talk is cheap, good science speaks loud because of its reproducibility. Don't give the liability speech to people who have gone to far more dangerous mental states via psychedelics, as I have. Show us your science.