New, non-invasive treatment for brain diseases

The best current treatment for Parkinson's disease is deep brain stimulation by implanted electrodes deep within brain tissue. Brain stimulation was summarized in my earlier blog. The risk of operation makes this procedure a last resort in most cases. Also, finding the proper target site in the brain reduces the success rate of the procedure.

A new method, which applies high-frequency brain stimulation without immediate physiological effect, is being considered. When two slightly different and overlapping high frequencies were targeted at the anatomical target site, their net result is a new, subtracted frequency. Because the treatment does not require surgery, it eliminates operative and post-operative risks. In addition, the target site can be optimized at any time. The new method will be optimal for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and other brain conditions. 

Drawback? As of now, you cannot take your 'treatment cap' on the road just yet. Requiring a large device, the treatment is only available in a hospital setting. Also, it has only been applied in animals; the efficacy needs to be tested on people. Read the whole article.

Reference:

• Grossman, Nir et al. Noninvasive Deep Brain Stimulation via Temporally Interfering Electric Fields. Cell , Volume 169 , Issue 6 , 1029 - 1041.e16. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.05.024

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Why do we need a new physical world view

Fresco of young woman

Our world is defined by technological progress and fast-paced social change, increasing our life's complexity. The scientific achievements of the twentieth century have been spectacular in technology, physics, and medicine and led to the sense that we can master and understand nature. The increasing amount of detail and the pace of change necessitated greater scientific specialization and made formal education increasingly important. 

Nevertheless, existing theories in physics fail to explain a long list of unsolved problems. The arrow of time, the cosmological constant, the interpretation of quantum mechanics and unification with general relativity, the nature of gravity, dark energy and dark matter, the microwave background horizon problem, and the big bang, Mach’s principle, physical information or the theory of everything remains unsolved. The unintuitive nature of some material strains education, making it difficult to attract a new cadre of bright and original thinkers into research. 

Reconsidering some fundamental questions in physics, such as time, gravity, or entropy, might lead to a new physical worldview. Such a hypothesis is the subject of my book, 'The Science of Consciousness.' Investigating entropic changes based on the energy/information exchange during interaction takes physics back to its basic understanding. Still, it is the only to achieve an encompassing and coherent, sorely needed clear worldview. 

Such insight might instigate a giant leap, turning quantum mechanics more intuitive. It might explain the origin of mass, show the operational principle of gravity, throw light on black holes, and space's structure. Demystifying physics would boost morale, inspire ideas, and increase public engagement and enthusiasm for scientific and technological research funding. It would attract a new generation of young people into academic research. This new physical worldview, which includes consciousness, can inspire innovative methods to cure neural and mental diseases. The mind is an inextricable part of the universe. Being part of something bigger should give us a sense of ownership, belonging, and responsibility: Atman and Brahman are one. 

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