The merits and demerits of self-made "brain boost head set" that boosts the brain by electric current to increase cognitive ability

Although a method of raising cognitive ability by flowing a weak current to the brain is attracting attention from the medical viewpoint, people all over the world making their own "brain boost head set" in order to obtain the same effect . There are various opinions from experts about "Will it be possible to boost the brain?" "Can it be done safely?"

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Since the 1980's, we have activated brain neurons by changing the magnetic field applied to the brainTranscranial magnetic stimulation method(TMS) has begun to attract attention, and in recent years it is possible to draw analgesic effects or increase cognitive abilities by applying a weak current of 2 mA or less to the brainTranscranial direct-current stimulation(TDCS) is being studied.

It is found that it is possible to remove memory and pain and attention by giving a weak current to the brain - GIGAZINE


There is a research report that tDCS has the effect that it can relieve the depression state and control the desire of drugs and alcohol addiction patients, and further, the application to the treatment of patients with autism or Parkinson's disease is studied It is. However, it is also easy to make your own tDCS headset with DIY using a 9V battery, so even among those who do not have special medical knowledge, you can increase memory, increase learning speed, meditate Many people tried to make tDCS by themselves for the purpose of creating a state, and in Europe and the United States, a dedicated forum for tDCS enthusiasts gathered has become a secret boom among some enthusiasts.

Christopher · Sobrist living in Vietnam introduced tDCS into his own training program using tablet, after reading the German medical paper that glaucoma patients recovered part of the visual field lost by tDCS treatment By the way, I noticed that the distance sense and the cognitive ability of contrast improved soon. As a result of continuing the tDCS program for six months, Mr. Zobrist has revealed its enormous effect, "It has become possible to recognize two to three times as many cars on and off the road as before." Examples of such capacity development developed by tDCS therapy are not uncommon and the current situation is that the tDCS forum is overflowing.

ByTony Harrison

In the tDCS Forum, negative opinions are rare for writes that make a dramatic effect. There seems to be no report of serious content such as severe injury or death, only there are only a few reports that tDCS therapy has headaches, nausea, or insomnia. Many experts who make complaints about such a situation are few. Dr. Peter Lainer of the University of British Columbia raises the problem that the DIY user risks damaging the wrong part of the brain and injuring the electrode placement and causing inappropriate currents to damage the brain. Dr. Liner says, "There is a report that tDCS lasts for a very long time period of several days, in some cases several months, but there is a danger that adverse reactions will remain for a long period of time if you reverse it," He points out the impact on neurodevelopment, especially with children and young people using tDCS.

While the risk of health damage due to misuse / abuse of such tDCS is pointed out, tools for controlling the current value outputted for tDCS are also on the market. For example,Foc.us V 2Pocket size current controller and dedicated headsetFoc.us EDGE headsetThat is a representative example. However, there is no guarantee that these tools will ensure safety from a medical point of view. Rather,American Food and Drug Administration(FDA)YaEuropean Medical Device Directive(MDD)There is a possibility that it may not satisfy the safety standard of. In addition, it seems that there are situations in which such "exclusive" tools are actually not used so much for DIY users because prices are as high as tens of thousands of yen.


Under such circumstances, the voice that "people who do not have medical knowledge should regulate their own tDCS tools from the viewpoint of safety" are also beginning to rise. There is also an opinion that manufacturers who provide correct information should be allowed to authorize the creation and sale of devices. However, even if Dr. Liner approves the sale of only products that satisfy the safety by permission system, the R & D expenses are added to the product price, so it is not supported by the user who is trying to make tDCS at DIY I expect it. Rather, because you can make your own tDCS kit from $ 20 (about 2400 yen) so far, DIY usersUndergroundIf you just dive into the world you are against the regulation of your own tDCS.

However, it is beginning to emerge from the very beginning to put a question mark on the universality and dramatic effects of tDCS. Dr. Felipe Frigny of Harvard Medical School announced the research that the learning speed is increased by tDCS, but there are cases where young people do not see effects like adults and cases that have harmful influences depending on cases, It reveals that the effectiveness of tDCS differs greatly among individuals. Furthermore, Dr. Jared Hobas at the University of Melbourne analyzes 30 kinds of papers including nerve response speed, oxygen level and electric activity of the brain with respect to tDCS so as to avoid arbitrary research extractionMeta-analysis, It was only one case that the tDCS had a highly reliable effect.

ByYandle

It is tDCS treatment even when the effect is doubtful, but it is Dr. Hobbas that states that there are regrettable aspects to truncate just because it is doubtful in practicality and effectiveness. It means that tDCS can be used for people who are not permitted to ingest caffeine or alcohol for medical reasons or for religious reasons, and that human beings always have a desire to increase their cognitive abilities for study and work That is because it is natural. Moreover, it is because traditional traditional therapy can be "hope" of a person with a disease whose effectiveness can not be found. "If tDCS is completePlacebo (placebo)Even if it is, if there are people who feel effective even at 10%, who can say that it is meaningless? "Said Dr. Hobus.