
Overnight Brain Stimulation Improves Memory - laurex
http://www.jneurosci.org/content/38/33/7314
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JoshMnem
Read this before self-experimenting:

"Popular electric brain stimulation method used to boost brainpower is
detrimental to IQ scores"

[https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150505152140.h...](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150505152140.htm)

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laverick
Looks like they use Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS).

The military has been doing tDCS (direct current) experiments for a while for
increased learning & performance.

I had a friend who used to swear by tDCS and did it very frequently. He
attributed all kinds of mood & cognition improvements to it, including
substantially reduced need for sleep, improved eyesight (he was born partially
blind), etc. He also complained about migraines a lot and liked to experiment
with all kinds of supplements, so YMMV.

Tried tDCS myself a handful of times, not for improved learning but for
improved focus. If applied correctly it definitely has an effect that I'd
consider better / stronger than a cup of coffee. I wouldn't feel comfortable
doing it regularly though.

There's a subreddit that used to be pretty active:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/tDCS/](https://www.reddit.com/r/tDCS/)

And here's a good Radiolab podcast, including DARPA Sniper experiments, etc:
[https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/9-volt-
nirvana/](https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/9-volt-nirvana/)

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CamelCaseName
Some of the posts on that subreddit are seriously concerning. Burns on your
head/arms seem to be common. One company in particular, "Foc.us", seems
particularly dangerous.

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amelius
Interesting tidbit: the foc.us manual says: "If you see white flashes (known
as phosphenes), adjust the position of the foc.us headset away from your eyes"

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redisman
This seems like a really stupid thing to experiment in. Wait a few years and
find out you permanently damaged your brain for a "caffeine-like" boost.

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aalleavitch
We already do this it's called dreaming.

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robg
Interesting to consider if an unintended common cause of tACS is better
encouraging lymphatic cleaning processes, especially where evidence is
accumulating of the role of the dura mater.

[https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-05763-0](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-05763-0)

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ddtaylor
Can someone kindly explain this to me? I feel bad asking, but, I honestly
don't understand the abstract =(

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austinjp
By no means my area of expertise, but a quick glance suggests:

The experimenters set up a system that could detect slow-wave (SW)
fluctuations in brain activity. They used trans-cranial magnetic stimulation
(electro-magnets on the scalp) to "augment" this SW activity. This seems to
have improved memory, measured by some specific learning task they set for the
participants.

Trans-cranial magnetic stimulation is becoming popular in trans-human type
circles. Apparently it's becoming feasible to do at home with cheap off the
shelf components. However, of course, the long term effects and side effects
are poorly understood.

This particular experiment used 16 participants (only three of whom were
female, for some daft reason) so we can't draw any firm conclusions from this.

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h4b4n3r0
Not magnetic, electric it looks like. I’m not sure how I feel about running
electrical current through my brain.

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onemoresoop
ECT(Electroconvulsive therapy) is already a thing - it is used for various
treatments for depression and seizures. It consists of small electric currents
passing through the brain which is very similar to brain stimulation, the only
difference is that he first one is a medical procedure while the latter is, as
of now, more like a brain hack. I wouldn't recommend anyone doing it without
knowing the risks involved.

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inetsee
I don't think it's accurate to describe ECT as using small electric currents.
The very name says that the procedure induces convulsions.

From Wikipedia: "ECT is often used with informed consent as _a last line of
intervention_ for major depressive disorder, mania, and catatonia. ECT
machines have been placed in the Class II category (special controls) by the
United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 1976." (Emphasis mine.)

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redisman
It sounds like hard rebooting a mind.

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Jedd
Is there some aspect of this that's quite new?

I'm reading Why We Sleep (Matthew Walker), published 2017-09 - an HN
recommendation from a while back - and I've just read the chapter where he
describes an experiment that sounds exactly like this (as in, same approach,
same outcomes).

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chrisweekly
Binaural beats / audio-based brainwave manipulation seems a much, much safer
approach!

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cryoshon
is there any evidence that this can actually work?

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lowdest
Anecdote: I self-experimented with binaural beats some years ago. I did not
notice anything regarding concentration, but I did find that tones starting in
the normal awake/aware range and sliding linearly down to the slower, deep
sleep range over 15-20 minutes would reliably cause me to fall asleep.

I ultimately layered that audio behind a guided meditation relaxation track I
found online and used the combination as a sleep aid for a few years.

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darepublic
I want to buy one of these devices but it seems risky and difficult to do so.

