Washington: Scientists have found that it is possible to selectively manipulate our ability to learn by applying a mild electrical current to the brain.
Researchers said this effect can be enhanced or depressed depending on the direction of the current, a finding which suggests that electrical stimulus can help people learn new or difficult material more quickly. The medial-frontal cortex is believed to be the part of the brain responsible for the instinctive "Oops!" response we have when we make a mistake. Previous studies have shown that a spike of negative voltage originates from this area of the brain milliseconds after a person makes a mistake, but not why.
Researchers from the Vanderbilt University in US wanted to test the idea that this activity influences learning because it allows the brain to learn from our mistakes. "And that's what we set out to test: What is the actual function of these brainwaves? We wanted to reach into your brain and causally control your inner critic," said psychologist Robert Reinhart. Reinhart and Geoffrey Woodman, assistant professor of psychology, used an elastic headband that secured two electrodes conducted by saline-soaked sponges to the cheek and the crown of the head and applied 20 minutes of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to each subject.
