I recently finished an excellent primer on the brain. "The Scientific American Brave New Brain,"
available on amazon.com, is an entertaining and informative read on
current brain research. The book explores former and current factoids
about the brain, our prime resource as a thinking being.
Typical
pharmacological approaches are addressed, but so are genetic,
technological and nutritional treatments for the brain. The only short
form experienced was on the topic of transcranial direct current stimulation
(tDCS). tDCS is a very exciting new method of brain stimulation that
is being funded for helping conditions as serious as psychosis to weight
loss, memory, and attention issues. Though studies have not proven
tDCS to be a cure, it could be the next best thing available following TMS
in the new line of brain stimulant technologies. Ultrasound will
likely trump it in its power, effectiveness, and longevity of effect,
however, tDCS is cheaper, currently proven as safe, and very powerful.
In
any degree, however, Scientific American did it right with their
entertaining chronicle of how neuroscience is currently viewing the
brain - and where we might boldly go with it in the future.
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