Each of us has memories that we would like to keep forever. But over time, they become less bright. This is due to the fact that around the age of thirty working person's memory starts to deteriorate. But do not be upset.
Recently conducted studies show that in this matter we can help electrical stimulation of the brain. Is it worth it for the sake of pleasant moments of last subjected to electric shocks in the head, let everyone decide on their own.
Working memory and its problems
Human brain - this is an extremely complex organ. He has a lot of different types of memory, and is responsible for operating a momentary information necessary for the decision of a particular mental task. It can be as short remembering only that events occurred, and the extraction of information from long-term memory.
This is the part of cognitive activity, which is responsible for processing and understanding language, for logical and spatial thinking, of planning actions and remembering where you last saw the keys to cars. Today, the scientific community prevailing view that working memory - the result of the synchronization of different types of brain waves.
Brain waves - is the electrical impulses of neurons with different frequency. Gamma waves have a high frequency - they are associated with the storage and processing of sensory information. Theta waves are longer and associated with different brain states - by active control of any human action to REM sleep.
And when we activate the working memory, for example, removing the brain from the fond memories of many years ago held the wedding, the two types of waves are combined and synchronized. The result is almost a living, exciting image.
As we age, our brain is changing. The volume of gray matter is lost, deteriorating circulation, due to which the tissue receives less blood and oxygen. There may be structural, neurobiological changes. Also, with age often reduced synchronization of the different areas of the brain. If you have something to remember the smallest details of his chosen facial expression when she answered "yes" to your proposal to marry you, then everything is forgotten with time.
This is due to including with the asynchronous operation of waves of different frequencies. And, of course, do not forget that the working memory is important in everyday life. We all know how hard it is necessary elderly people with age-related dementia, and do not want to experience something similar.
electrostimulation
So is there any way to avoid the problems described? The members of the scientific team believe that you can try to tickle your brain with electricity. It sounds scary, but it really is not so scary.
Specifically, in Studies have used non-invasive method, which is called "transcranial alternating current stimulation." He has allowed scientists to expose the simultaneous action of the prefrontal and temporal regions of the brain.
Electric shock resulted in synchronization gamma and theta waves. The bottom line? Before stimulation of subjects aged 60 to 70 years performed the test items on the visual working memory is much worse than the group of 20-year-olds.
After 25 minutes of treatment through a special headset elderly people began to show the same results as that participated in the experiments young. That is their brains, by and large, done something like traveling back in time!
Some of the younger participants initially coped with the tasks than their peers. However, after electrical stimulation of the same duration also improved their results. It should probably be noted that the improvement of cognitive performance in a group of elderly people lasted at least 50 minutes - that is, during all the tests. So, perhaps, the effect persisted for much longer.
People often have extremely negative attitude to the idea of electrical stimulation of the brain. This may be due to a bad memory, the remainder of electroconvulsive therapy - frankly barbaric tool that It was used in the early 20th century for the treatment of patients with psychosis and schizophrenia, often against their will and without any significant therapeutic effect.
Nowadays, however, it has developed several safe and effective methods. This already mentioned transcranial stimulation alternating current (TACS), and the same, except for using DC (TDCS). Last tested for possible use in the treatment of severe depression and to improve concentration. In a controlled research environment, all these methods are perfectly safe.
It should also be noted that the hype developed around electrical stimulation devices has led to the emergence of the consumer market of the instruments. Individual craftsmen even try to collect them by hand, relying on its own design ability. What is most likely is not a good idea.
Do not attempt to create a self-made device in the home, as their application faces quite serious trouble - from uncontrollable mood changes to seizures.
Today described the study, like many others, dedicated to "fit" brain waves - this is only the first steps toward understanding memory function failure mechanism and methods of combating them. Scientists are just beginning to grope for the funds that would really help the aging brain.
Let's hope that they will succeed, allowing us to save important, cherished memories, and quality of life until death.
When writing this article I have used the following materials:
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-02753-0
- https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-12-amygdala-human-memory.html
- https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/zapping-brain-with-electricity-could-lead-to-treatments-for-mental-decline-m5mz0hcm8
- https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/04/brain-jolts-revive-memory-in-elderly-turning-clock-back-four-decades/