brainscan

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Man Thought to Be in a 23-Year Coma Was Conscious the Whole Time
Brain-Reading Machines Know What You've Seen
How You Inherit Genes That Make You Smarter
The Next Witness for the Prosecution Could Be Your Brain
Indian Court Accepts Brain Scans as Evidence of Murder

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Klebert L. Hall
11/25/09

In reply to Man Thought to Be in a 23-Year Coma Was Conscious the Whole Time
So, let's just pretend that this isn't an obvious fake.

What's the difference, functionally? Who cares (well, other than him) if he's in a coma, or conscious but unable to move or communicate? Same thing, really...
-Kle.
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LastAndLeast
11/25/09

@Klebert L. Hall: I bet you wouldn't say that if it happened to you. You post signing nitwit.
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Klebert L. Hall
11/26/09

@LastAndLeast:
You are correct. If I was completely unable to communicate, I wouldn't say anything, at all.
-Kle.
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LastAndLeast
11/26/09

@Klebert L. Hall: It just seems remarkably cold to say "who cares if a man is living a tortured life or if he's braindead." It is rather depressing to know there's people like you who seem to posess no empathy.
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Klebert L. Hall
07:31 AM

@LastAndLeast:
If someone isn't braindead, (or dead, for that matter) but is indistinguishable in every way from someone with the braindead (or dead) condition . Then what is the functional difference?

If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we might as well call it a duck.

The logical result of your "empathic" thinking, is that we should be all torn up about the idea that rocks might be compassionate intelligent beings, and we just can't tell ... My god, we've been cutting and grinding them up for millennia! Oh, the Humanity!
-Kle.
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LastAndLeast
08:28 AM

@Klebert L. Hall: Except they scanned his brain and it showed activity. Also, your rock example is specious, because we have never had reason to believe rocks had the capability of thought.
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Edited by LastAndLeast at 11/27/09 8:29 AM LastAndLeast was starred LastAndLeast was unstarred

MargaretMoony
11/24/09

In reply to Man Thought to Be in a 23-Year Coma Was Conscious the Whole Time
Dear God, I think this is the most terrifying thing in the history of....EVER. How did this guy not go insane?
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Trystero
11/24/09

@MargaretMoony: Are we sure he didn't?
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MargaretMoony
11/24/09

@Trystero: Oooooooooooooooooooh.
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CoffinDodger (If the typos crap. Blame my keyboard)
11/24/09

In reply to Man Thought to Be in a 23-Year Coma Was Conscious the Whole Time
Thats just awful. But imagine the bribes he'll get from the gossip nurses just to keep his mouth shut, if and when he comes around!!!!

And where the hell did the name ' Glasgow coma scale' come from?? How hard you get headbutted in Scottland!
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Chip Overclock
11/24/09

In reply to Man Thought to Be in a 23-Year Coma Was Conscious the Whole Time
If true, this is like the exact opposite of Alzheimer's. I'm not sure which is more disturbing.
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SNForrester
11/24/09

In reply to Man Thought to Be in a 23-Year Coma Was Conscious the Whole Time
I don't think we have enough information to know if this story is true or not.

If there's a computer involved that measures electrical signals in his brain, I'm willing to believe that he can use it to type out letters.

If it's a human facilitator, then no way. He's just a human Ouija board.
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Jonny_eh
11/24/09

@SNForrester: Nope, you're right. There's a facillitator, super sketchy right there.

[news.yahoo.com]
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Scotland
11/24/09

@Jonny_eh: 1:05
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Jonny_eh
11/24/09

@Scotland: It is so clear that the lady is punching in the messages. This is a scam. I bet she'll come out with a book, and put his name on it. Such a travesty, being taken advantage like that. These people should be ashamed!
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SNForrester
11/24/09

@Jonny_eh: This video is unbelievable! How could anyone watch it and think the coma man is the one typing? The blond woman is so obviously reading the screen and pushing his hand around.

I feel bad for the coma man's mother. You can tell she believes it.
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Lassus
11/24/09

In reply to Man Thought to Be in a 23-Year Coma Was Conscious the Whole Time
Before everyone gets too depressed, there is actually some questioning that he is communicating at all:

[news.yahoo.com]

Now that I think about it, maybe that's even more depressing.

EDIT: Whoops, was already referenced below. In answer to Atomsmoosher, I don't think it can be said definitively either way as of yet, but there are such things as motion sensors available to a micron of pressure, you'd think they could do some more testing.
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Edited by Lassus at 11/24/09 10:56 AM Lassus was starred Lassus was unstarred

korybing
11/24/09

In reply to Man Thought to Be in a 23-Year Coma Was Conscious the Whole Time
I'm not gonna pretend that I know a lot about medical science, because I don't, but why did it take them 20+ years to run a brainscan on the guy to determine that he was conscious? Were brainscans not available until recently?
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Vexxarr
11/24/09

@korybing: Think about it. He's alive. He's non-responsive. Why scan? In 1986 there were a number of external tests thought a reliable means to determine consciousness. Based on the technology and experience of the time, there was no reason to believe the man was suffering from 'locked-in' syndrome or anything other than a persistent vegetative state. Likely, it took a few scans over the years before the right technology and activity combined to demonstrate that the mans was indeed awake.

Since then brain imaging and monitoring has advanced tremedously. In 1986, you might have seen alpha waves and other measurable activity and not really been able to tell what exactly was going one. Realize also that there can easily be a lot of activity while none of it could be considered organized thought.

You are right that imaging, monitoring and non-invasive scanning is the way of the future. Hopefully as we are better able to sense, measure and see our inner workings, medicine will make fewer misdiagnosis like this. In the not too distant future we will be able to take a status snapshot of a living body and know everything that is going on inside down to the molecular level. This is just an extension of technologies like MRI.
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korybing promoted this comment Edited by Vexxarr at 11/24/09 11:08 AM Vexxarr was starred Vexxarr was unstarred

Dr.Quatermass: I have to say Dr. You are once again spot on with that oberservation and anything I am about to say that contradicts this statement is strictly for humor sake.
11/24/09

In reply to Man Thought to Be in a 23-Year Coma Was Conscious the Whole Time
This just ruined my day. Completely ruined it.
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kimsama
03/19/09

In reply to How You Inherit Genes That Make You Smarter
Ok, so does this increased myelinization somehow explain myopia? Is it pleiotropy (the genes that increase myelin sheath thickness increase incidence of myopia)? At least this myelin thickness thing might be influenced by a small enough set of genes that it could make it more likely, right?

And I know that the structure of the eye determines myopia, but along different lines: why would it matter how much of the occipital lobe is heritable? I mean, it's visual processing, right? Are there really that many gradations of visual processing ability? Or is it just the speed at which the brain processes visual stimuli (and things like saccades and whatnot that I guess could influence at least the ability to learn, if not intelligence per se).
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corpore-metal
03/18/09

In reply to How You Inherit Genes That Make You Smarter
I'm skeptical. It's seems an oversimplification that faster neural impulse speed idicates greater intelligence. Efficiency in this one area is hardly the only factor, and it doesn't really define what "intelligence" is.
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Grey_Area
03/18/09

@corpore-metal: Personally, I've always found that I can arrive at the wrong conclusion much faster than those around me.
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Grey_Area
03/18/09

In reply to How You Inherit Genes That Make You Smarter
I made a machine that detects lower intelligence. It's just a wood-chipper with a sign,

"FREE PORN, CHOCOLATE, AND BOOZE INSIDE!"

I am going to save the world.
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crashedpc - Haifisch
03/18/09

@Grey_Area: WHERE ARE MY ARMS???
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♥AntiSocialSocialite♥
03/18/09

@Grey_Area: Darwin Awards FTW!
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Anekanta - killed by a cacodemon
03/18/09

@Grey_Area: The only problem is, they have to be able to read the sign...
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Grey_Area
03/18/09

@Anekanta: Animated pictoglyphs, with a catchy song by Hannah Montana or Kid Rock. Still working on the self-cleaning unit. Sound baffles work great.

I want one of these in every 7/11 or equivalent in the world.
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crashedpc - Haifisch
03/18/09

@Grey_Area: In that case, in Taiwan it would be Young-Js. Here in San Jose, you might as well install it at the Great Mall right next to the Hot Topic.
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92BuickLeSabre
03/18/09

@Grey_Area: Pictoglyphs? That sounds hard. I'm bored.
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Ghede
03/19/09

@Grey_Area: Potential flaw!

The smart people will use TOOLS to get to the porn, chocolate, and booze! Therefore there will be no bait for the stupid people!

I OUTSMRTED YOU!!!
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Grey_Area
03/19/09

@Ghede: I will add, "FREE TOOLS" to the sign.

Check and mate.
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crashedpc - Haifisch
03/19/09

@Grey_Area: Man, you were up at 1:30am scheming against people who want to get free booze n porn? Is there something you want to tell us?
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crashedpc - Haifisch
03/18/09

In reply to How You Inherit Genes That Make You Smarter
That's ok, intelligence turns me on more anyway!

*Aaaah-OOOGAH*
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snowcrash
03/18/09

In reply to How You Inherit Genes That Make You Smarter
kinda obvious if you ask me.

redneck/chav + redneck/chav = more stupid

smart + smart = more smart

some things in science are pretty clear.
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Jogfrog
03/18/09

@snowcrash: everyone knows rednecks only breed with livestock
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k386
03/18/09

@Jogfrog: that's not fair! I breed with my sisters and comely cousins too!
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crashedpc - Haifisch
03/18/09

@k386: *stunned silence* REDNECKS KNOW HOW TO USE THE INTERWEBS?
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92BuickLeSabre
03/18/09

In reply to How You Inherit Genes That Make You Smarter
While I freely hold young earthers and other anti-science types in contempt, this is one field of study that gets very close to where I refuse to let my science get in the way of my own politics.

But I can freely admit my hypocrisy! That's gotta count for something!
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Annalee Newitz
03/18/09

@92BuickLeSabre: Totally there with you in the anti-intelligence science hypocrisy barrel.
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