Scientist Proves Brain Implant Can Improve Memory By 30%

These days, one of the hottest topics in the tech and medical industries is the matter of cybernetics or merging man with machine. A scientist has recently advanced this field by demonstrating how a brain implant can improve memory. The breakthrough could also have several potential benefits, including treating epilepsy.

The findings were recently presented by University of Southern California research Dong Song to a gathering of scientists at the Society for Neuroscience, which was held in Washington D.C., New Scientist reports. The implant basically involves putting electrodes on the brain that will then mimic how humans process memories.

As a result, the implants are actually able to boost memory by up to 30 percent, according to Song. Presented as something like a “memory prosthesis,” the test used 20 volunteers to prove that it can actually be done.

During the experiments, the scientists basically determined when the brain’s memory is working at optimal levels. When it happens, the electrodes stimulate the brain, which then boosts memory. This could have a significant impact on humanity simply because, while the human brain is excellent at storing memory, actually retrieving it is a different matter.

As Futurism notes, this development is also crucial for those who are suffering from degenerative neurological conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. While the root cause for those particular diseases has not been conclusively discovered yet, the prospect of maintaining optimal memory via a brain implant would stave off the worst effects of the conditions.

Taking care of patients with neurological illnesses is a costly affair as well, with yearly expenses stacking up to reach $236 billion. Putting implants in brains would be a huge step towards not only improving the memory of humans, in general, but also to make sure that patients at risk of losing their core memories have more time to live a healthy life.